A great first step would be to congratulate your newly-elected legislator on their victory. APA has developed a template letter to introduce yourself and invite your lawmakers to meet with you. Feel free to personalize your letter to describe the type of psychiatry you practice, include other pertinent information about your background, and provide your contact information. 

It is more important than ever for legislators to know whom to turn to for information on mental health issues. You can serve as an advocate for your patients as well as your profession. It is crucial for you to know your legislator before you need them.

If you would like to be even more involved in APA's grassroots advocacy network, you can sign up for APA's Congressional Advocacy Network. Congressional Advocates serve as “key contacts” for their members of Congress and advance their lawmaker's understanding of psychiatric issues.  When important policy issues arise, CAN members get our message out to congress through direct and personal communication.​

CAN members get one-on-one support from APA’s government affairs staff​. If you plan to meet with your member of Congress please contact Rabia Khan, APA's grassroots manager at  rkhan@psych.org to get started.