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Action Alert Mental Health Parity | Rally Fact Sheet | Parity Rally Pictures |Birkel Call to Ral

ACTION ALERT ON MENTAL HEALTH PARITY
by James W. Jordan, Jr.
Executive Director, NAMI Pennsylvania

ACTION ALERT!

TO: NAMI Pennsylvania Board Members, Affiliate Presidents, Provider
and Advocacy Organizations and Interested Community Members.

FROM: James W. Jordan, Jr., Executive Director, NAMI Pennsylvania

SUBJECT: Rally in Washington D.C. Federal Parity Legislation

NAMI Pennsylvania, and ten other states within driving distances of Washington D.C. have been asked to participate in a rally, which will be at the Nation's Capital on June 6th. The purpose of this rally will be to draw the attention of the public and members of congress to the need for passage of a strong bill on Mental Health Parity. We will provide transportation- i.e. buses- and bag lunches for all participants. We will also have stickers and posters to be used at the rally. NAMI National will do a direct mailing to all NAMI Pennsylvania members to encourage them to participate in the rally.

NAMI at the national level is coordinating it's efforts with other national organizations to help ensure that this effort is successful. NAMI PA will coordinate it's efforts with the State Parity Task Force and all other interested organizations and community members. The NAMI Pennsylvania effort is not limited to NAMI members. We need your help in getting people to register with our office so that we can make arrangements for the correct number of buses and lunches. We have a very short period of time to make this a successful effort.

We are asking you to provide assistance in the following ways:

1. Please distribute the fact sheet to members of your affiliate, other MH organizations in your area, friends, and interested persons.
2. Urge everyone to use our website namipa.nami.org to keep informed regarding developments. They can also register online or download and fax registrations.
3. So that travel arrangements can be made, all registrations for persons interested in traveling to Washington with NAMI, should be made with the NAMI Pennsylvania State Office. Please use one of the following methods for registration. Online through the NAMI Website, namipa.nami.org ; call the state NAMI office at 1-800-223-0500 or 717-238-1514; fax to 717-238-4390.
4. Forms for registration are attached. They may also be downloaded from our website. Please be sure to provide your name, telephone number where you can be reached, a mailing address, and identify, if applicable, the organization you represent- i.e. NAMI PA, MHA, PMHCA, PCPA, The Psychiatric Society, The Psychological Association etc.
5. Information regarding bus pick up points and schedules will be posted in the near future. This information will also be posted here as soon as it is available.
6. NAMI Pennsylvania is not supporting overnight lodging- the buses will return the same day as the rally. Anyone attending who wishes to stay overnight will have to make their own travel arrangements.
7. NAMI will provide round trip bus transportation and lunch to everyone who registers with the NAMI State Office by May 29th.
8. May 29th is the deadline for registration.

I appreciate your assistance on this issue. This is one of the most important pieces of legislation to face Congress in some time. If we are successful in passage of this bill, it will mean full parity for family members and friends with mental illness, giving them equal access to benefits. If you need assistance, don't hesitate to call us at the State Office and ask to speak to Chuck Hamilton, chamilton@nami.org 717-238-1514, 1-800-223-0500.

The following is a list of the Attachment's to this Action Alert:

1. State NAMI Rally Information Fact Sheet
2. Letter from Rick Birkel, Executive Director, NAMI National
3. Registration Form for the Rally

We appreciate your support and look forward to working with you on this important issue.

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