Mental health: Organizing for change

Click here to view a general explanation of Organizing for Change

Recognizing the importance of a long-term approach to improving a community's mental health, many communities initiate organizing efforts to improve mental health services.

You can play an important role supporting organizing efforts that bring partners together to identify and push for lasting changes.

Educate and train to reduce stigma. To successfully address mental health issues, communities must reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with it. Community-based organizing efforts that include consumers of mental health services, their families and friends, and other allies can offer a powerful illustration of the support and "community" that surrounds people living with mental illness.

Organized efforts can reduce barriers to treatment, employment, housing and other essentials. Through educational campaigns and by elevating the collective voice of mental health consumers, these efforts play a critical role in preserving rights and improving mental health services. 

Justice in Mental Health Organization (JIMHO), located in Lansing, Michigan, is a consumer-run, self-help center that fosters “self-worth, self-respect, empowerment, dignity, and gentle justice.”  JIMHO was founded by and for people with mental illness and offers a network of support to thousands of individuals living in the community.  

JIMHO also provides a vehicle for consumers to advocate for their rights and to improve the way that they are treated by the mental health system and the community at large.

Encourage media advocacy. Communities can organize to insist upon accountable media portrayals of consumers of mental health services.  People with mental illnesses are often portrayed unfairly, bolstering stereotypes and strengthening stigmas.

To address these practices, the media can be called upon to avoid labeling people by their diagnosis.  For example, instead of saying, “She's a schizophrenic,” the media might say: “She has a mental illness.”

Through advocacy and education, media practices can promote the importance of mental health, while reducing stigma and encouraging treatment.

Reduce stressors and improve resilience in community environments.  Communities can organize to decrease community violence and reduce racial bias and discrimination, thereby reducing some of the factors that undermine mental health.

Attempts to reduce stressors naturally involve efforts to foster community resilience – through improving housing and increasing access to green spaces and opportunities for strong social connections. Organizing in this manner may involve partnering with existing violence prevention or racial justice efforts and bringing attention to the mental health-related value of these efforts.

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Before you give... Organizing is time-consuming and challenging, but one of the most empowering ways of enhancing health and wellness in disadvantaged communities.  It involves residents themselves in analyzing issues, deciding what changes need to occur and leading the effort to make change. 

Organizing strategies maximize the power and influence of people who are often voiceless and powerless in decisions affecting health policies. 
Because community groups engaged in organizing have a profound and invaluable connection to their constituency, they are extremely knowledgeable about the types of policies and programs that really work.  

Groups that organize can be great resources for donors simply wishing to learn more about issues in a community or region - whether or not you choose to fund organizing directly.

Questions to consider before you give:

1. What issue(s) do you want to tackle?  Is community organizing the best strategy for addressing the issue?
2. Are there groups organizing on these issues? 
3. Does the group have a clear grasp of the issue, the context and possible solutions?Do they have access to any outside expertise they may need?
4. What facts and analysis do they use to support their position/approach?
5. Does the group truly have the skills to organize, market, speak or testify to policy makers?  Who will run meetings, take the minutes, manage finances, distribute literature, work with the media?
6. Does the group have the strategy and allies it needs to win?  Can it gain additional support? 
7. What is the group's timeline? Is it realistic?
8. Having considered the other questions, what is the likelihood of success for the group? Will failure on a particular cause curse the entire venture or might the leadership skills and experience gained empower the group for the next cause?
9. In addition to grant money, are there other ways you can assist the group in meeting their goals?

You may find some questions irrelevant or have a few questions of your own, not listed here.  This list is not meant to be exhaustive. 

Try using the questions as a springboard for lively and respectful conversation between you and a potential grantee.  Or, as a way of discussing a grant proprosal with your fellow trustees, your family or other board members.

Related Reading

Other Ways to Take Action in Mental health

• Advocating for change

• Developing new programs

• Strengthening community groups

• Tackling immediate needs