Dear John,

Across the country, thousands of Treatment Advocacy Center advocates have told their stories to local, state and federal lawmakers. Those stories are catalysts for change, leading to significant policy victories and meaningful improvements in the lives of those affected by severe mental illness.

As the director of advocacy, I can tell you that our advocates are the foundation of all of our legislative work at Treatment Advocacy Center. They’re working hard to ensure that compassionate care, like Assisted Outpatient Treatment, is more accessible to people with SMI. Now, we have an opportunity to support them.

Donate now to fuel our advocacy efforts in the year ahead, as we train and mobilize thousands of grassroots advocates to pass policies that make a real difference to all those with SMI and their loved ones.

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Working hand in hand with our grassroots advocates, Treatment Advocacy Center staff won some important victories in 2022:

In Maine, the state legislature removed a long-standing barrier to step-down AOT, which allows for continued treatment in the community following a hospitalization. At a critical moment in the legislative process, I met with key legislators at the state capitol to pass the bill.

Maine was not the only state whose AOT criteria needed significant reform. Working with legislators and grassroots advocates, we won improvements to AOT criteria in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Virginia and Washington state.

In California, the recently passed CARE Court Initiative includes several essential elements that our advocates fought hard to secure. The program reflects the concerns of our advocates and incorporates their experiences. This is a critical step toward disrupting the revolving door of homelessness, hospitalization and incarceration that those with untreated SMI often experience.

We’ll keep this momentum going in 2023! We are launching a training and leadership program for local grassroots advocates to ensure they have all the tools they need to continue passing legislation that truly addresses the challenges facing those with SMI and their loved ones — while also forming a truly supportive SMI community.

We can’t do it without you. Make a generous donation today to support our grassroots advocacy efforts in the year ahead!

Sincerely,