Many successful advocacy initiatives have begun with careful analyses of the scope of the problem in a particular community. Advocates on their own, or with the help of local and state agencies, can document the frequency of contact between law enforcement and people with mental illness, the prevalence of mental illness in the local jail, or some other aspect of the problem. Concrete statistics can often lead to important policy or staffing changes that improve services and begin to address the root causes of the problem.
Example: Mental Health Association of Tennessee
Spurred by a powerful advocacy effort, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health commissioned a study of the prevalence of mental illness in local jails. This study led to funding in every county jail for a mental health liaison responsible for screening and diverting appropriate individuals from jail into the community.
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