Public Policy Corner: Summer 2019

This post was originally published in the Summer 2019 edition of the OCD Newsletter.

Greetings! Welcome to the first edition of the IOCDF Advocacy Corner. Since the launch of our Advocacy Program last year, we have been working hard to shape and support public policy that positively impacts all those who are affected by OCD and related disorders. We have big plans for this Summer and Fall – plans that we want to share with you! We think it’s incredibly important to keep our community informed about the IOCDF’s advocacy work, and we’ll be including the Advocacy Corner column in each future issue of our newsletter.

Here are some of the ways the IOCDF has made an impact so far in 2019:

• We supported families in Oregon, Texas, South Carolina, and Maine in their work to spread awareness and improve access to care for their children with PANDAS/PANS. We provided testimony to legislative committees considering PANDAS/PANS bills, and armed local grassroots organizers with statements of support to use in their efforts on social media and in visits to state capitals.
• We joined with other mental health organizations to support equal insurance coverage for mental health care, and encouraged reforms that will prioritize evidence-based treatment.
• We partnered with the nation’s leading mental health organizations to advocate for the renewal and expansion of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic program. This program provides mental health and substance use treatment services to underserved communities in eight states. We hope to see it continue and expand into additional states.

Upcoming advocacy program activities:

• 2019 Hill Day – [Hold for approved language]
• 2019 Mental Health Advocacy Walk – this Fall, we will gather again on the National Mall in Washington, DC for the 4^th annual advocacy walk. Visit IOCDF.org for the date, time, and more details!
• We’ll be updating the IOCDF.org web page with additional details about our advocacy program, including news and information about important public policy issues affecting the OCD and related disorders community.

The success of the IOCDF’s advocacy efforts depends upon the participation and support of the OCD and related disorders community! We invite you to contact us with your comments, criticisms, or to let us know that you want to be involved. Please get in touch with us by email at advocacy@iocdf.org!