Amnesty International Mental Health Lobbying Network
If you are interested in signing up to this network and receiving the monthly actions please email mentalhealth@amnesty.ie
Why Amnesty needs you:
Mental health problems can affect anyone. At least one in four people in Ireland will experience a mental health problem during their lives. This means almost every family in Ireland is affected in some way by successive governments’ apathy in this area.
Ireland’s mental health policy framework, A Vision for Change, was published in January 2006. Now we have a framework, it is time to see some changes. It is time for individuals, as constituents, to voice their views to their Dáil Éireann representatives about how mental health services and supports are planned and delivered.
As part of Amnesty's campaign to promote the right to the highest attainable standard of mental health, Amnesty International is facilitating this engagement of individuals through a Mental Health Lobbying Network.
Amnesty invites everyone - services users, mental health professionals, teachers, you - to join this network. There is a vast constituency whose voices are not being heard by Government.
Together our voices are louder. We need your voice!
What we need you to do:
Each month a letter-writing action is issued to members of the Network, together with advice on how to lobby TDs. Regional training and capacity-building resources are available to Network members throughout the course of these actions.
The objective is that as many individuals as possible call, visit or write to their TD on the same day each month with the same issue and demand.
While this Network is for individuals, we also welcome organisations with membership bases or channels of communication with individuals who may be interested in participating in the Network. If you are interested in taking part in the lobbying network please contact Karol Balfe, Campaigns Officer, at 01-677 6361 or mentalhealth@amnesty.ie
Please do let Amnesty know if you take action and about any responses you receive.
