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HOW YOU CAN HELP WITH BAKER ACT REFORM:
Write to your legislators

Even a handful of letters can have a tremendous impact on your legislator and their decision whether to support Baker Act reform. Letters do not have to be long-winded or full of statistics - in fact, short letters with personal stories are the most likely to be read.

Identify who your legislators are

One easy way to do this is through Congress.org. This link will take you to the page for Florida state legislators, where you can enter your ZIP code and get the names of your legislators. Once you know who your legislators are, this site give you the option to write all of your legislators in a form on their web page, with one click.

Write and send your letter

The correct method of address is:

The Honorable (Name of Legislator)
Florida State (Senate or Assembly)
State Capitol Building Room _____
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300

The salutation is "Dear Senator (Last Name)" or "Dear Assemblywoman/Assemblyman (Last Name)"

TIPS FOR WRITING A GOOD LETTER

• Type or write legibly.
• Include the bill number in the first few sentences or a reference ("RE:") line above the salutation.
• Be brief and to the point (one page or less).
• Use your own words and avoid the appearance of a form letter.
• Give your reasons for supporting or opposing a bill.
• Use a personal story, if possible.
• Be courteous and reasonable.
• Include a newspaper article/editorial that supports your view (you can print one from the TAC website)
• Use correct grammar and short sentences.
• Remember that you probably know more than the legislator about severe mental illness and your bill.
• Personalize the heading and salutation for each legislator to whom you send a letter.
• Proofread and spell check.
• Forward a copy of your letter to us - via fax (703 294 6010), email, or regular mail (200 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22203). This helps us in our efforts to change the law. Thank you for your help!

DO NOT ...

• Be long winded.
• Be rude or threatening.
• Remind the legislator that you are a taxpayer.
• Use form letters (the form on Congress.org is only for format and mailing, so this is an excellent tool.)
• Say, or even hint, that politics is sleazy or dishonorable (no matter what you think).
• Forget that short letters get read. A few short letters carry much more weight than one long one.
• Overlook that just a few letters can have a large impact.

NOTE: This letter is provided only to give you a sense of how a letter sounds and looks. Please use your own words.

The Honorable (Name of your Senator or Assemblymember)
Florida State (Senate or Assembly)
State Capitol Building Room (#)
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300

Dear Assemblywoman/Assemblyman/Senator _____________ :

Reform of the Baker Act will allow Florida’s mental health treatment laws to provide earlier and more continual treatment for people with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who are too ill to access services voluntarily. Please support this vital legislation.

My brother, Frank, is like many people with schizophrenia. He does not realize he is ill. We use to think "lack of insight" (anosognosia) was willful denial because of the stigma involved with mental illness. Newer research shows that for many people the inability to recognize their own need for treatment evolves not from denial but from brain dysfunction itself.

Because Frank does not realize he is sick, he sees no reason to accept the services that are available. Instead he revolves through hospitalizations, homelessness and incarceration. A supportive, supervised, and mandated outpatient treatment program like the one included in pending Baker Act reform is Frank's only hope. It can find him treatment, point him toward recovery, and bring him back to us.

I ask you, plead with you, to support revision of the Baker Act. My brother’s health and future depend on it. Please feel free to contact me for more information.

Sincerely,

(Your name)
(Your address)
(City, State, Zip code)
(Phone number)

HOW YOU CAN HELP
write a letter to the editor | write to your legislators
Florida Baker Act main page

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