Partners in Advocacy

NJAMHAA’s Partners in Advocacy group is comprised of representatives from member agencies who are committed to participating in NJAMHAA’s advocacy efforts by sending e-mails, making phone calls, signing petitions, doing outreach on social media and otherwise adding their voice on issues of importance to NJAMHAA members. Some have built, or are willing to build, relationships with their state representatives at their local offices, and occasionally join NJAMHAA staff at meetings either in Trenton or locally.

It is critical to successful advocacy to be heard by legislators and the Administration in large numbers. Whenever possible and appropriate, staff from member organizations are encouraged to involve other stakeholders, including clients and their family members as well as others in their communities, to be involved in advocacy.

NJAMHAA provides its Partners in Advocacy (and all members) with advocacy resources that include an annual advocacy campaign document, policy papers, details on priority legislative and budgetary issues, advocacy training, data from survey results, legislative alerts and more!

Your ongoing advocacy at the local level supplements the advocacy NJAMHAA does directly with legislators each year, and serves to better educate legislators about the work our members do in their districts, as well as the importance of our member organizations to the communities the legislators represent.

Building these relationships at the local level opens the door to stronger commitments by a greater number of legislators – not just those who are already connected to our issues through their committee appointments or past experience, both personal and professional – and to greater advocacy success!