Do you want to help improve services for youth with mental illness, but aren't sure how to start?

Do you want to develop the skills to be a voice for your patients and your profession?

AACAP Advocacy Toolkit 

AACAP's Advocacy Toolkit (AACAP member log-in required) is available for AACAP members to help physicians build resources to effectively advocate and engage individuals and regional organizations of AACAP in various advocacy efforts. Not focused on a single policy issue, instead, this toolkit is designed to help the reader form the building blocks to help identify opportunities for AACAP members to apply their expertise and focus on available resources while working to identify possible solutions. The toolkit aims to help answer frequent questions from regional organizations on why and how to engage in advocacy efforts and what steps are necessary to be most effective with limited resources.

AACAP's Virtual Advocacy Forum

A recording of the virtual forum, Using the Current Public Health Crisis as an Opportunity for Advocacy, hosted September 2020 and sponsored by AACAP's Advocacy Committee, includes a roadmap for AACAP members and our regional organizations to engage in advocacy. This virtual forum provides insights into being an advocate for children and adolescents with decision makers, and all AACAP members are encouraged to view the recorded forum. 

Become an Advocacy Liaison

Any AACAP member interested in becoming better engaged with mental health advocacy and adding your voice to AACAP’s advocacy efforts is invited to join the Advocacy Liaison (AL) Network. Advocacy Liaisons freely participate in monthly calls to learn about the latest state and federal initiatives and effective strategies to organize grassroots activities in your regional organization. If you are interested in becoming an Advocacy Liaison, please contact govaffairs@aacap.org.

Learn more about the role of an AL.

Become an AACAP Resident Advocacy Scholar

Child and adolescent psychiatry fellows or rising child and adolescent psychiatry fellows are invited to join the AACAP Department of Government Affairs in a month-long elective in Washington, DC to get fully immersed in advocacy and policy work. A small stipend is available to help offset the cost to members to participate in this opportunity. Learn more about this opportunity.

Advocacy and Collaboration Grants

Learn how AACAP supports local and state initiatives through Advocacy and Collaboration Grants given annually to regional organization of AACAP.

Advocacy Training Presentations

AACAP provides advocacy training for AACAP Regional Organizations and psychiatry training programs. If you are interested in organizing a training, please contact gov@aacap.org. To view and download slides from past trainings, please click here. (member log-in required)

Grassroots Advocacy Tools

A key component of AACAP's approach to advocacy is the strength of our grassroots network. Use the resources below to improve your advocacy at the state and local levels.

• Advocacy Check List for Regional Organizations of AACAP
  A step-by-step guide for you and your regional organization for effective state advocacy.
• Advocacy vs. Lobbying: What This Means for You and Your Regional Organization
  Understand why your ROCAP can and should engage in advocacy and lobbying activities more often than you may think.
• AACAP State Advocacy Manual
  This manual is intended to help AACAP members get involved in advocacy in their states and communities.
• State Advocacy Toolkit
  Developed in partnership with a national coalition of parents, educators, mental health professionals, and physicians, this toolkit aims to help you educate state lawmakers about children's mental health in America.
• Understanding Your State Legislator
  Written by James MacIntyre, M.D., this article provides practical tips to help you better understand your state legislators and guidelines on effective communication.
• Advocating for Children and Adolescents with Mental Illnesses
  This article, published in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, discusses ways in which child and adolescent psychiatrists can engage in advocacy on behalf of their patients and their profession.
• Organizing Forums on Children's Health
  This tool is intended to help AACAP Regional Organizations organize and implement forums to raise awareness of children's mental health issues in their states.