Welcome to Unit 8: Advocacy: Private and Non-profit With Craig Owens (Craig or Prof C)

Seminar 8, Agenda Apply the learning from Unit 7! Apply the learning from Unit 7! Advocacy - Core Concepts Advocacy - Core Concepts Case Study – If you were in Charge? Case Study – If you were in Charge? Questions Questions

Applying the learning! What was the most significant thing you learned in last week’s discussion about organizing a community coalition to improve coordination between mental health and substance abuse services?

Differences between profit and non- profit agencies Thinking back to your previous classes, what is the difference between for-profit and not-for-profit agencies? Thinking back to your previous classes, what is the difference between for-profit and not-for-profit agencies?

Differences between profit and non- profit agencies The fundamental differences between for profit and not-for-profit agencies is in the business model and not so much in delivery of services. Most agencies provide the same types of services, but often the differences lie in whether they can treat clients who cannot pay for service. The fundamental differences between for profit and not-for-profit agencies is in the business model and not so much in delivery of services. Most agencies provide the same types of services, but often the differences lie in whether they can treat clients who cannot pay for service.

For- profit Agencies If you were to work for a for profit agency, the focus of your advocacy activities will be split between working in the community to promote your agency’s services and attracting paying clients to the agency. You would also spend time working with community coalitions and local government representatives. If you were to work for a for profit agency, the focus of your advocacy activities will be split between working in the community to promote your agency’s services and attracting paying clients to the agency. You would also spend time working with community coalitions and local government representatives.

Not-for-profit Agencies If you were to work for a not-for-profit agency, more of your advocacy energy would be devoted to ensuring that state and local politicians understand the benefits of your service, asking for grant monies to be increased, and organizing effective service delivery in your town. It is important to use these meetings as an opportunity to present the message that responsible service providers need continued financial support from local and state governments to best serve the needs of those who need it, but who cannot pay for it. If you were to work for a not-for-profit agency, more of your advocacy energy would be devoted to ensuring that state and local politicians understand the benefits of your service, asking for grant monies to be increased, and organizing effective service delivery in your town. It is important to use these meetings as an opportunity to present the message that responsible service providers need continued financial support from local and state governments to best serve the needs of those who need it, but who cannot pay for it.

Strengths and Weaknesses? For Profit Strengths For Profit Strengths For Profit Weaknesses For Profit Weaknesses Non-Profit Strengths Non-Profit Strengths Non-Profit Weaknesses Non-Profit Weaknesses

Community Leaders Another focus of advocacy is in educating local decision- makers about the social problems that are affecting their community. Those community leaders who understand the problems of their town are more likely to attend and support fundraisers.

Community Education There are strong links between increased crime rates and decreased spending for social services. One of the tasks of human service professionals, who advocate for services, is to educate people about the importance of helping people to survive. For example, it is unreasonable to expect that someone would choose to starve over stealing food. Can you think of other examples where decreased funding causes an increase in social problems? There are strong links between increased crime rates and decreased spending for social services. One of the tasks of human service professionals, who advocate for services, is to educate people about the importance of helping people to survive. For example, it is unreasonable to expect that someone would choose to starve over stealing food. Can you think of other examples where decreased funding causes an increase in social problems?

Advocacy Advocacy can be a formal process such as making a presentation at a local town council meeting or an informal process such as talking to someone in the supermarket about the need for services or taking to the streets to directly help people in need. Advocacy can be a formal process such as making a presentation at a local town council meeting or an informal process such as talking to someone in the supermarket about the need for services or taking to the streets to directly help people in need.

Advocacy Case Study You are a team leader in the local community health center. Your team works with adults with serious mental illness helping them to stay in the community and to avoid hospitalization by actively working their individual recovery plans. Some of the members of your mental health team and some of the mental health clients in the community feel it would be helpful to start a peer support and recovery group. You are a team leader in the local community health center. Your team works with adults with serious mental illness helping them to stay in the community and to avoid hospitalization by actively working their individual recovery plans. Some of the members of your mental health team and some of the mental health clients in the community feel it would be helpful to start a peer support and recovery group. What exactly is a “Peer Support and Recovery Group”; what is expected of someone who becomes a member or attends meetings? What exactly is a “Peer Support and Recovery Group”; what is expected of someone who becomes a member or attends meetings?

Advocacy Case Study You are a team leader in the local community health center. Your team works with adults with serious mental illness helping them to stay in the community and to avoid hospitalization by actively working their individual recovery plans. Some of the members of your mental health team and some of the mental health clients in the community feel it would be helpful to start a peer support and recovery group. You are a team leader in the local community health center. Your team works with adults with serious mental illness helping them to stay in the community and to avoid hospitalization by actively working their individual recovery plans. Some of the members of your mental health team and some of the mental health clients in the community feel it would be helpful to start a peer support and recovery group. What are some of the things you would need to advocate for to get a peer support group started in your community and how might you go about doing this advocacy? What are some of the things you would need to advocate for to get a peer support group started in your community and how might you go about doing this advocacy?

Advocacy Case Study You are a team leader in the local community health center. Your team works with adults with serious mental illness helping them to stay in the community and to avoid hospitalization by actively working their individual recovery plans. Some of the members of your mental health team and some of the mental health clients in the community feel it would be helpful to start a peer support and recovery group. You are a team leader in the local community health center. Your team works with adults with serious mental illness helping them to stay in the community and to avoid hospitalization by actively working their individual recovery plans. Some of the members of your mental health team and some of the mental health clients in the community feel it would be helpful to start a peer support and recovery group. What do you think might be the biggest barrier you face in getting this new peer support group off the ground, how would you eliminate or overcome this barrier? What do you think might be the biggest barrier you face in getting this new peer support group off the ground, how would you eliminate or overcome this barrier?

Advocacy Case Study You are a team leader in the local community health center. Your team works with adults with serious mental illness helping them to stay in the community and to avoid hospitalization by actively working their individual recovery plans. Some of the members of your mental health team and some of the mental health clients in the community feel it would be helpful to start a peer support and recovery group. You are a team leader in the local community health center. Your team works with adults with serious mental illness helping them to stay in the community and to avoid hospitalization by actively working their individual recovery plans. Some of the members of your mental health team and some of the mental health clients in the community feel it would be helpful to start a peer support and recovery group. Do human service professional’s have a role in peer support groups? If so, how would you describe this role? Do human service professional’s have a role in peer support groups? If so, how would you describe this role?

So what do you think now about Peer Support Groups? Do you see potential benefits for one in your area? Do you have an interest in advocating for one someday?

Unit 8 Discussion Question Discussion Question No project No project May want to start working on Unit 9 Final Project in which you write a detailed reflection paper from the point of view of a human services professional in your last job in the field, this is due at the end of Unit 9 May want to start working on Unit 9 Final Project in which you write a detailed reflection paper from the point of view of a human services professional in your last job in the field, this is due at the end of Unit 9 No late projects or assignments will be accepted past the Saturday of Unit 10 - no exceptions No late projects or assignments will be accepted past the Saturday of Unit 10 - no exceptions

Do you Have Any Questions?