The ground floor of advocacy is having what you need to care for yourself or your loved one. Ground floor advocacy includes:

• Understanding a psychotic illness, how it happens, and what to expect 
• Using the right verbiage and taking our pledge to change language about brain health 
• Learning best practices for communicating with your loved one during psychosis spectrum disorders/delusion (L.E.A.P.) 
• Learning how to communicate with a clinician, crisis care team, or police officer during a crisis
• Knowing how to navigate the legal system
• Discovering legal documents for juvenile patients, such as an IEP in school 
• Using legal documents for adult patients to obtain the information you need as a caregiver, communicating issues to a treatment team, and making medical decisions for the patient when appropriate 
• Finding and using resources for additional legal help 
• Understanding what services are available and how to access them 
• Learning how to appeal when private insurance reduces or refuses coverage
• Knowing what to do if the hospital is prematurely releasing a loved one from the hospital 
• Understanding how to get SSI and SSDI benefits for your loved one (SOAR application) 
• Assembling a “Red Book” to be used in times of crisis that keeps all documents, pictures, copies of health and symptom, a safety plan, etc.
• Learning how to create an family treatment team and how to work with an medical treatment team 
• Knowing how to access caregiver benefits in your state 
• Continuing your education through free conferences and seminars at teaching institutions and hospitals 
• Using social media to share initiatives 

The first floor of advocacy includes:

• Advocating through letters, phone calls, and public statements on important local policy changes 
• Developing scripts for you and your friends to make calls when policy changes are discussed  
• Creating relationships with local representatives and officials  
• Attending to county behavioral/mental health board meetings and other town halls to express specific difficulties and question officials on their stances on neuropsychiatric illness, homelessness, and disability rights
• Joining your county’s behavioral/mental health board as well as working committees
• Knowing what the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training includes and know where CIT officers are located
• Writing opinion pieces to local newspapers 
• Sharing helpful tips and policy discussions on social media
• Joining local fundraising and awareness events related to schizophrenia-related issues
• Hosting support group meetings while providing educational and social opportunities for these efforts 
• Accessing free conferences and seminars at teaching institutions and hospitals 

The second floor of advocacy includes: 

• Advocating through letters, phone calls, and public statements on important state policy changes
• Developing scripts for you and your friends to make calls when policy changes are discussed
• Following statehouse activities so you know when hearings are held on brain illness topics
• Attending hearings when possible and offering to speak to any press present  
• Attending meet-and-greets and town halls with state legislators prepared to talk about specific help that’s needed 
• Volunteering to sit on a committee to draft new bills
• Offering to testify at hearings on brain disorder issues

• Writing opinion pieces to state newspapers 
• Networking at events and offering to speak on behalf of those with serious brain disorders 
• Sending books and articles to state officials can impact their understanding of brain illness issues and the services they fund

The third floor of advocacy includes: 

• Advocating through letters, phone calls, and public statements on important federal policy changes
• Developing scripts for you and your friends to make calls when policy changes are discussed
• Following House and Senate activities so you know when hearings are held on brain illness topics
• Attending hearings when possible and offering to speak to any press present  
• Attending meet-and-greets and town halls with federal legislators prepared to talk about specific help that’s needed 

• Writing opinion pieces to newspapers 
• Networking at events and offering to speak on behalf of those with serious brain disorders 
• Sending books and articles to federal officials can impact their understanding of brain illness issues and the services they fund
• Participate in National Hill Day when advocates meet with representatives to advocate for reform