With demanding schedules, finding time to advocate for our profession probably seems a daunting task. But if the task is broken down into manageable segments, it becomes much easier to integrate advocacy (simply the act of speaking or writing in support of something in which we believe) into a busy schedule of seeing patients, teaching, and/or society-institute commitments. With that in mind, I propose a user-friendly device for becoming an advocate entitled: One Hour a Month for Advocacy and Mental Health. Feel free to shuffle the months around, with the following as my suggestion for a start:
January—This is the month you identify the district in which you live (if you've not already done so); your elected representatives at the federal, state, and local levels; and the locations of their nearest local offices along with the relevant e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses. You might find the following online resources helpful to you in gathering the information regarding your federal representatives:
You might also find helpful the following numbers in Washington, D.C.: the switchboard for all of Congress is 202-224-3121 and the White House opinion line is 202-456-1111.
Think about the issues, such as licensing, that are looming across the country and that may percolate in your state if they have not already. These are issues about which you want to brief your legislators so they will have a frame of reference from you, their constituent.
February—E-mail three letters to your officials. If it's after an election year, offer your congratulations, tell them what you do and how this contributes to your/their community.
Be sure to send the URLs to your own Web site, institute, society, center, and/or foundation. Be sure to thank them for any past assistance. Let them know that you have a vested interest in your community, which comprises their constituents.
The suggested address style for Congress via his/her e-mail address is:
The Honorable (your senator's name)
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator:
The Honorable (your representative's name)
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Representative:
March—Contact three family members or friends (especially in rural and sparsely populated areas) and ask if they would like to help in future advocacy efforts that are meaningful to you. Elected officials often hear from those of us living in urban areas; so having the support of a few people beyond the usual urban borders insures that other representatives, governors, and local legislators hear about the issues.
April—This is usually a month to write letters again to those officials you wrote to in February, but this time about immediate issues of concern to the profession (licensing, medical privacy, etc.). APsaA will periodically provide members with action alerts on critical issues, and you are welcome to contact APsaA for further guidance at any time.
May—Contact those family members and friends from your hour in March about writing or calling their elected officials on the mental health issues you've brought to their attention. Make it easy for them by sharing ideas for format, content, addresses, and any other helpful information you have gathered.
June—Call or e-mail a few friends or colleagues in mental health organizations or psychoanalytic groups to learn what is happening with them. Give them a nudge to do some advocacy of their own.
July—E-mail three letters to your elected officials about some other issue besides the mental health and/or privacy. Any issue at all. Demonstrate that you are not a one-issue person.
August—Make sure your elected officials (and their staff members) are on the mailing list for your local group's newsletter as well as on your group's invitation list for lectures, film series, and/or other programs.
September—Chances are you could drop by and visit a representative or state assembly person in his/her office if you didn't do that in August (feel free to switch this to August).
October—E-mail three letters (see April) about issues at stake. You may not yet know what the issue will be, but come October there will certainly be a relevant issue at stake. Send a contribution to a campaign fund of a public official whose work you support.
November—Invite elected officials or their staff members to an event your local group is hosting. Be sure someone is available to personally greet and spend time with them. Or invite a staff member of your local official to visit your institute. Remember, your institute or center is a postgraduate center of higher education in that official's district. They are interested in knowing about your organization.
December—You've done a good job. Take the month off.
Now, this is all offered with some humor and the question can certainly be raised that you haven't done much. But let's be realistic about this. I estimate in your 11 hours, you've written 17 letters and made 11 calls. If you extend that number over the nearly 3,500 APsaA members…now the membership is acting. You have done something active and positive without impinging on your practice. You've taken action—and you're far less a victim by having done so.
Finally, you've gathered information, created your own mini-network, established communication, demonstrated concern in a variety of topics, contributed to a campaign, invited some elected officials into your corner of the health care world…and it's very possible your endeavors will have made a difference.
Dean K. Stein is executive director of APsaA.