Inclusion of People with Mental Illness in Public Policy & All Things Affecting Them Is Vital --
​Nothing About Us Without Us

​Inclusion:  We Need to Get Specific Re:  
​A Percentage of Individuals with "Lived Experience" On State Mental Health Stakeholder Groups


​In the past, we have thrown out 1/4 of State stakeholder membership have "lived experience."
         This has been really problematic in the context of:
  • criminal justice and mental health, and
  • the Colorado Mental Health Institute @ Pueblo.
         To the right, Oregon's US Dept. Of Justice Stakeholder Advisory Team is required to have 20% individuals with lived experience.  Further, the Oregon Plan does include criminal justice.
          Inclusion is really a requisite of good government and just saying inclusion is probably NOT ENOUGH.  It needs to be at least 20% membership reserved for people with relevant disabilities when it comes to these state stakeholder groups.
             
​​A Call for "Radical Inclusion" for People with Disabilities

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Thomas Jefferson

​Oregon 2016 Performance Plan
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​         2. OHA will maintain a system for accountability for the performance outcomes specified in Section D of this Plan, by including the following elements of OHA's USDOJ Project governance structure:

a, USDOJ Agreement Stakeholder Advisory Team: composed of a cross section of  diverse stakeholders, including a minimum of 20% individuals with lived experience, to review and comlnent on the progress towards and performance of the outcomes specified in Section D and provide advice to OHA regarding the strategies being employed,

b. Olmstead Plan Stakeholder Team: composed of membership from the Addictions and Mental Health Planning and Advisory Council's I-lousing and Olmstead Subcommittee, USDOJ Agreement Stakeholder Advisory Team, OSH Community Reintegration Committee and Oregon Consumer Advisory Council  (OCAC) to review and comment on the progress towards and performance of the outcomes specified in Section D and provide advice to OHA regarding the strategies being employed.


​Mental Health & Disability & the NEED for  Inclusion & Citizenship
Former Australian Mental Health Commissioner Eddie Bartnik discusses needs for Inclusion, Citizenship and the need to recognize the often missed commonalities between "Mental Illness" and other types of "Disability"

​Bartnik also discusses the need for sustained and inclusive focus on Mental Health such as could be provided by a Mental Health Commission which could drive reform and push for Personalized and Self-Directed services.