WHAT YOU CAN DO!

Actions You Can Take to Help the Cause

  1.  Tell your story. No one knows better than we do what needs to be done,  Write down in a page or two what your family member with serious mental illness needs to stay alive and well, and share it with the emergency rooms he or she is taken to, with the jail he or she is taken to, with his or her treatment team, with your County Supervisor, and with journalists.
  2. Help us stop cuts to Medi-Cal and SSI.  Our family members’ care is very largely funded by these government programs.  Call your Senators and your Representative, daily if necessary, and tell them to oppose any budget that cuts Medicaid (Medi-Cal) or SSI.
  3. Come to a FASMI meeting to find out from other family caregivers about existing resources in the community, and what we are doing to expand upon and improve them. Learn about the local actions we are involved in, along with our coalition partners, advocating for the systemic change needed for those with serious mental illness to survive and thrive: more and better inpatient care, supportive housing and community services, and increased funding of Early Intervention Programs.
  4. Support good state bills:

    AB 1269 (Bryan) (“Wakiesha’s Law”) Requires that a county jail notify family members within 24 hours if a jailed loved one enters a hospital or dies.  .  Here’s a year-old article about Wakiesha’s family. 

    SB 331; (Menjivar):  Defines “mental health disorder” under the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act; provides training guideines for counties regarding the electronic submission of 5150 evaluation orders: authorizes original petitioners to stay involved in the CARE Act process’ requires the state to train BH agencies in the electronic submission of CARE Act forms.

  5. SB 367 (Allen) Amends the Lanterman-Petris-Short act (5150 law) to require that a 5150 assessment consider historical information; expands the types of people who can recommend a 5150; requires conservatorship investigations to consider probate conservatorships and other alternatives for people with neurocognitive disorders; requires more specificity in a treatment plan; and allows limited sharing of information from a CARE Act process.
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