by Brent Morris, MPN Board President
January 3, 2023
Advocacy is and activity by an individual or group aiming to influence rules, laws, and processes to bring a change wanted by the individual or group. the new Montana Legislative session begins today in Helena with our voted Representatives. This session will work with new laws passed and amendments made to existing laws also changes to funding for services provided for people in Montana. Montanas Peer Network offers opportunity to learn how to professionally ask and advocate for changes you feel are needed to empower recovery oriented behavioral health services in our state. Some have fear advocating for themselves, or for others they might be providing peer support for, and believe that only professional lobbyists can speak effectively for change. Our recovery stories are as powerful and influential. We show, through lived experience, building actions for system change.
Now is a great time for us to contact our elected Representatives through phone calls, emails, Zoom meetings and in person presentations showing them how we, living with mental health challenges and or substance use disorders, are engaged in community living, helping others, and employed professionally. We pay taxes and should have a voice in what and how services are delivered in Montana. Being an advocate will help our self confidence, give us purpose, and influence quality of life for those we provide peer support for and ourselves. An action assisting someone with a therapy animal have adequate housing options, people in recovery maintain employment by requesting reasonable accommodations, or speaking to a committee at a hearing in Helena for implementing a law are all ways we can be advocates. Using our strengths with our recovery story is more powerful than most of us believe and I know you can do it if you wish to make a difference. Advocacy is a choice we have in America we have to better our lives and I hope we take advantage of it in our local community, state or National levels. Participating in Montanas Peer Network with any level can and will help you develop your advocacy skills.