What do we mean by vote for mental health? 2024 is an election year, which means we have the power to influence policy. The people we elect at all levels of government make decisions that impact the availability of mental health services and supports in our communities, so it’s crucial that we know how our votes matter.
NAMI’s #Vote4MentalHealth campaign is nonpartisan—we will never tell people what party or candidate to vote for; instead, the campaign focuses on understanding how every person’s vote impacts mental health. We are are taking time to encourage our members to vote because we know it works: Past #Vote4MentalHealth campaigns have helped NAMI reach thousands of people who were new to NAMI.
Get started by pledging to#Vote4MentalHealth. By taking the pledge, you commit to do one thing: take the time to understand how your vote impacts mental health. When you completes the pledge, NAMI will send you election date reminders and steps you can take to #Vote4MentalHealth.
Locally, we are supporting Proposition 1, which Californians will have the opportunity to vote for in March. Prop 1 is a critical measure that will modernize our state’s behavioral health system and provide funding for services and resources to those living with the most severe mental illnesses. Proposition 1 is a meaningful and much-needed investment in mental health that will reform and strengthen the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), providing funding for services and resources to those living with the most severe mental illness, while also significantly increasing treatment beds, providing much-needed resources for mental health care. Find out more about Prop 1 here.
Are you a first-time voter? To help, NAMI created a webpage with a quick first-time voter checklist for people to get ready to vote, as well as debunk a few common myths about the impact of voting.
Learn more at www.vote4mentalhealth.org and on our Take Action page.