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Consumers across New York State are responding enthusiastically as the Mental Health Voter Empowerment Project (MHVEP) moves statewide from its base in New York City.

Success was apparent at a November training in Buffalo that attracted participants from five western counties. Hosted by the consumer group Action for Mental Health, the Buffalo session brought together nine groups from Erie County alone.

MHVEP trainings are providing an excellent networking opportunity for consumer and consumer-supporter organizations and providers to come together on this vital initiative. This project is building the grassroots momentum essential to a civil rights movement.

Bringing the fact of consumer voting home to elected representatives is critical to the success of MHVEP. Media attention, including a recent cover story by The New York Times, is helping to gain the attention of politicians and the public. Not all of this attention is positive, but the debate is part of the struggle of full civil rights for consumers. Controversy is a welcome opportunity to confront and combat stigma and discrimination.

Just as important as getting out the vote is the need to educate consumer voters on mental health issues and the positions of candidates on these issues. Naturally, such efforts must be strictly non-partisan. For the 2000 elections, the Mental Health Association in New York State will once again prepare a mental health issues survey of all candidates for state elective office for distribution to MHVEP members and other interested parties.

This level of effort requires a real commitment on the part of Project organizers and volunteers. Statewide, the Project will be organized on the county level -- with local mental health associations or colleague groups serving as hub organizations. Local collaboration among consumer/survivor/ex-patient groups, consumer-supporters groups, and providers in reaching out to consumers and providing facilitative services will be critical to achieving the full potential of MHVEP.

December will feature a training hosted by the Mental Health Association in Westchester County. MHVEP will also offer a series of trainings in the spring, including Nassau County, the Mid-Hudson Valley, and the Capital Region.