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Family to Family Program Funding
DATE: July 10, 2003 RE: FAX YOUR SENATOR NOW! NAMI CALIFORNIA'S 1278 FUNDING FOR FAMILY TO FAMILY IS ONCE AGAIN IN JEOPARDY This is an urgent request to fax a letter to your Senator. Due to the short time we have before the hearing, we request that you fax your letter to ensure that your Senator receives it before the hearing. It has just come to our attention that Senators Burton and Brulte are working on a budget plan that will likely be voted on in the Senate next Monday, July 14, 2003. The proposed budget eliminates the nearly $2 million in Statewide Community Services grants which includes NAMI California's 1278 funding for our Family to Family Educational Program and our new web site designed to provide mental health services statewide. Tell your Senator not to cut the funding, and why. Many of you have taken the 12 week Family to Family Education classes and can attest to their benefit. We must let our Senators know the positive affect this highly successful program has had on the lives of our families and what it will mean for families if it is not available in the future. Explain your personal situation if you have taken the classes. Tell your Senator how these classes have taught you to cope with crisis situations that would otherwise have become your county's responsibility. Tell your Senator that we are providing a vital service to families and to our communities. Family to Family teachers are, in fact, volunteer providers of service, saving counties and the state thousands of dollars. There is likely no other program funded by the state that leverages its dollars the way Family to Family does. This current fiscal year, NAMI California will train 100 volunteer English and Spanish speaking education teachers who will return to their communities and conduct 12 week classes that will reach 4,000 family members who have seriously mentally ill relatives. The 12 week classes are free of charge to participants and are taught by volunteers who have experienced mental illness in their families. Through the Family to Family Education Program we will also reach approximately 3,000 families annually via the Support Group Facilitator component. A sample letter is attached. Be sure to mention that NAMI California is a 14,000 member organization (this is important). Send a copy of your letter to the NAMI California office. We want to track the number of letters sent. Thanks very much for your help in saving this important program. Please pass this information on to every contact you have, asking them to fax their Senator regarding this urgent issue. Visit http://leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html to find your Senator and to obtain their fax number.
Sample Letter (DATE)
Senator ______________ (State Capitol Address)
Dear Senator ___________________:
As a member of NAMI California, a statewide volunteer organization of 14,000 individuals who have experienced serious mental illness in their family, (I/we) oppose the elimination of funding for community services activities which includes grants to community organizations. One of those grants, administered through the California Department of Mental Health, provides funding for NAMI California’s highly acclaimed Family to Family Education Program and its website designed to provide resources to families of mentally ill individuals seeking services throughout the State of California.
(Explain your personal situation if you have taken the classes. Tell your Senator how these classes have taught you to cope with crisis situations that would otherwise have become your county’s responsibility.)
NAMI California is providing a vital service to families and to our communities at a great cost savings to counties and the State of California. Please continue the funding of these successful programs.
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
Last Updated on 04/14/04 webmaster@namiscc.org |
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