The National Alliance on Mental Illness along with the Mental Illness Awareness Coalition are inviting the public to advocate for mental health at the Texas capital on Thursday, February 19th, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. There is a $10 registration fee and although online registration has closed, the public is welcome to register onsite starting at 9:00 a.m.
The day’s activities include:
10:00 am – 11:45 am: Advocacy Workshop- receive briefings on key legislative issues and tips on effective legislative advocacy.
11:45 am – 12:15 pm: Box Lunch- enjoy a brief lunch with friends.
12:30 pm – 1:15 pm: Rally on the South steps of the Capitol – participate in rally to draw public attention to important legislation for persons with mental illnesses in Texas.
1:15 pm – 3:30 pm: Visits with members of the Legislature- visit members of the Legislature in teams of advocates to encourage support of needed legislation.
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm: Reception – Wrap-up your visit to the capitol with refreshments and sharing of your experience.
If you are unable to be in Austin but would still like to participate, here are the steps you can take:
1. Locate your Senator and Representative by clicking the link below, and if possible, call their offices for an appointment on February 19 between 1:15 pm and 3:00 pm (if they are not available, please ask to meet with their Chief of Staff or legislative health policy aide).
Click here to see who represents you
2. NAMI Greater Houston, NAMI Gulf Coast, NAMI Dallas, and NAMI San Antonio are arranging for group travel to the event. If you would like to travel with other advocates from your area, please contact:
NAMI Greater Houston
Glenn Urbach 713-970-4419 gurbach@namigreaterhouston.org
NAMI Gulf Coast
Jeanette Taylor 281-585-3100 namigc@namigulfcoast.org
NAMI Dallas
John Dornheim 214-341-7133 johnd@namidallas.org
NAMI San Antonio
Christy Munson 210-734-3349 admindir@nami-sat.org
To see photos from last years event or for more information, visit NAMI website.
