Voice Your Support of Families Who Care for People With Mental Illness!!!
Tell the New York State Senate to Support
Paid Family Leave
&
Tell Congress to Support Mental Health Caregivers
8.4 million people care for an adult living with mental illness. Mental health caregivers serve an important role in their loved one's recovery. Caregivers face a wide array of challenges and nearly three quarters report that caregiving causes high emotional stress, finds a new study from the National Alliance for Caregiving in collaboration with Mental Health America and the National. Click here to read about the report.
Many caregivers have difficulty finding services for their loved ones and too many times, once they find services they are shut out of the recovery process due to HIPPA laws. Navigating the systems that deliver mental health care can be a full-time job. Too often families are forced to sacrifice their jobs and salary in order to give the necessary time to provide the care needed, especially during a crisis or vulnerable times such as the days after a loved one has been discharged from a hospital.
These issues have become intensified here in New York State as the Office of Mental Health continues to reduce hospital beds without there being enough housing (especially community residencies) and community services already in place to meet the specialized needs of people coming out of the hospitals. Once again, the burden falls to families who must find the supports needed to advance their loved one's recovery and monitor them until those services are discovered.
Our leaders both in New York State and in Congress have the opportunity to support caregivers. In New York we can do this by passing Paid Family Leave. On the federal level both the Senate and House versions of comprehensive mental health care reform bills recognize that misinterpretation of HIPAA, a privacy law, by health professionals has contributed to caregivers being unnecessarily shut out of care conversations.
TAKE ACTION!!!
Tell the NYS Senate to Join Governor Cuomo and the Assembly in Passing Paid Family Leave:
Crucial negotiations are currently going on with the state budget. There are just two weeks left until the one-house budget bills are decided and we must let the New York State Senate know that there should not be any barriers from family involvement in the recovery process, which is why we need Paid Family Leave. Our advocacy coalition on this issue is using the first days of March to flood the Senate Offices on this issue and we need your help.
Click here to see the list of Senate Co-Sponsors of S.3004, then click here to find your Senator. If your Senator is a co-sponsor call and thank them for their support. If they are not a sponsor call and tell them:
As a family member and a caregiver for someone (feel free to say who the relative is) with mental illness, I firmly believe there should not be any barriers preventing family involvement in the recovery process. I have had to make many sacrifices for my loved one and I am deeply concerned about others in my position that may be forced to lose income or even their job in order to care for their loved one. No one should have to choose between their livelihood and their loved one, this is why I urge Senator_______ to support the Paid Family Leave Act and bill S.3004.
Click here to read about talking points for people who incorrectly believe Paid Family Leave will hurt business.
Tell Congress
to support a National Mental Health Caregiver Support Program:
This program would offer grants to states and territories to provide:
- Information to families and family caregivers about mental health services and supports.
- Assistance to families and family caregivers in navigating mental health systems and accessing services and supports.
- Family and family caregiver psycho-education and
Peer-led family and family caregiver support groups.
Click here to send a letter to your House member and Senators Schumer and Gilibrand.
Thank you for Taking Action
Hope Starts With You!!!
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