In today’s society, a person with mental illness is not necessarily guaranteed equal protection under the law. Job and housing discrimination still affects millions of consumers. The public still fears and rejects them, and the media portrays them as violent, incompetent or useless. The overwhelming majority are poor. In fact, many consumers report that the biggest barrier to their recovery is discrimination. Laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act have helped protect some of their rights, but discrimination still exists.

In addition to the ADA, there are other laws and public policies that affect people with mental illness. Some of these laws protect consumer rights, while others may actually serve to violate them. They include laws that regulate involuntary hospitalization, fairness in insurance policies for covering mental illness and others. These laws are passed at the local, state and federal level.

It is important to advocate for the civil rights and human dignity of those with mental illness, because without advocacy, their rights might be ignored or abused. There are many people and organizations that are involved in this advocacy. They are part of a grassroots movement that is working to ensure these rights are protected.

Grassroots advocacy is one of the best ways to influence public policies and the laws that affect people with mental illness. Over the last 20 years, numerous local and national organizations have come together to advocate for these rights. They work by organizing people into a collective voice that lawmakers will listen to.

The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill is a group of consumers, family members and friends that work to educate the public about mental illness. Much discrimination comes from ignorance, and the public is often mis-informed about mental illness. NAMI has education programs that teach the public about mental illness. To learn more about NAMI, go to:

http://www.nami.org

The National Mental Health Association is dedicated to erasing the stigma and discrimination that affects people with mental illness and advocates for them by following public policy, lobbying lawmakers and grassroots organizing. They also have programs that teach the public about mental illness.

http://www.nhma.org

The David E. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is an advocacy organization that follows laws that affect people with mental illness.

http://www.bazelon.org

The information and content provided on the CHN site are offered for informational purposes only and should not be treated as medical, psychiatric, psychological or behavioral health care advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or behavioral health condition.