Advocacy

The Vermont Association for Mental Health has led and been involved in many important legislative initiatives that have emanated in and around the Statehouse.

Initiatives Have Included:

• Promotion of funding support for self-help programs for consumers and parents.
• Acccess to quality community-based services for Vermont citizens.
• Reduction in reliance on the Vermont State Hospital.
• Expanded funding for all major components of public mental health systems.
• Expansion of children's mental health services with dramatic improvement since the mid-1980's.
• Promotion of one of the first mental health managed care regulatory bills in the country, 1994.
• Successful campaign to establish parity between physical & mental health benefits, 1997. National precedent. Please see our published report.

To keep abreast of VAMH's activities, please consider becoming a VAMH member.