NAMI Iowa Day on the Hill

https://namiiowa.salsalabs.org/namiiowadayonthehill/index.html

Join advocates from around the state for a day of education and inspiration. This advocacy event will allow you to hear from mental health experts on pending legislation. We will train you to advocate to your legislators for mental health issues, and then we’ll take you to the Iowa Capitol to put your new skills into action! The more voices we have, the louder our message will be! 

Day-of Registration starts at 8:30am followed by training and education from our experts about what it means to be an advocate and to lobby up at the Capitol. You will learn about what NAMI Iowa's legislative priorities are for 2022 and how to speak to your legislators about them. You will then be served lunch and then buses will arrive to take us all to the Iowa Capitol to advocate to our legislators! We will be up at the Capitol for a couple of hours and then the buses will take us back to the hotel where we can have a "dessert and debrief" and we can share our experiences and have some treats. 

Early Bird -$30* (Early Bird sales end 1/31/22)

General Admission- $45*

Scholarship- $10* (for those on a limited income)

*Tickets will entitle the purchaser to registration to the event, coffee and pastries during the morning training session, a complimentary boxed lunch, transportation to and from the Iowa Capitol and a "debrief and dessert" for those who would like to join us. 

*IF WE HAVE TO CANCEL DUE TO COVID ALL REGISTRANTS WILL RECEIVE A FULL REFUND ON THEIR REGISTRATION FEE*

Day on the Hill Agenda (tentative)

8:30-10:00 am  Check In/Registration Opens

8:45-9:45 am  How to Lobby: Advocacy Training for First-Time Advocates

9:45-10:00 am BREAK

10:00-10:15 am   Welcome, Overview of Legislative Priorities, Grassroots Advocacy

10:15-11:30 am  Implementing Iowa's ground-breaking mental health policy initiatives: A status report on complex needs, children's behavior health and state funding of MHDS Regions

Kelly Garcia, Director, Iowa Department of Human Services – moderator

Marissa Eyanson, Division Administrator, Community Mental Health & Disability Services

Janee Harvey, Division Administrator, Adult, Children & Family Services 

Cory Turner, Division Administrator of Mental Health & Disability Services, Facilities

Elizabeth Matney, Director of Iowa Medicaid

11:30- 12:30 pm  988 is coming. Are we ready?

                                      Peggy Huppert, Executive Director, NAMI Iowa- moderator

                                      Keri Neblett, Suicide Prevention Director, Iowa Department of Public Health

                                      Julie Maas, Division of Mental Health & Disability Services, Iowa Department of Human Services

                                      Emily Blomme, Chief Executive Officer, Foundation 2 Crisis Services

                                      Sarah Nelson, Executive Director, CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank

12:30-1:15 pm  LUNCH

1:00-1:30 pm  Buses to Capitol

1:15-3:30 pm  Lobbying at Capitol

3:20 pm  Group photo on grand staircase

3:30-4:00 pm  Buses to Holiday Inn

3:45-4:15 pm  Dessert & Debriefing
 

FAQs

I’ve never advocated for mental health before. Will there be any help?

Yes! We welcome those who are new to the lobbying to join us. We need your voices! To help new advocates, we will be holding a “How to Lobby” training the morning of the event to teach you the basics. You’ll learn tips and tricks to get a hold of legislators when at the Capitol and what to say. We’ll even practice with some role-playing exercises.

In addition, we will be holding a webinar-based presentation of NAMI Smarts for Advocacy, the national program for grassroots advocacy training. This will be done the week prior to the event. The presentation will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube for those unable to join that day. Instructions on how to join will be emailed to attendees after registering. STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE DATE OF THE WEBINAR.

I’ve advocated up at the Capitol before. Do I need to attend the “How to Lobby” training at 8:45?

The choice is yours. All attendees are welcome to participate, but we understand that some attendees may wish to skip this session and arrive later in the morning. We ask all attendees to evaluate their comfort level and skill set with lobbying when deciding whether to participate in the training. Check-in will remain open until 10:00 for those wishing to come later.

Is there reimbursement for mileage?
Carpool to save money! NAMI Iowa will pay your mileage if:

• You have at least 4 people in your car
• Drive 60 or more miles to the event
• Just tell us who was in your car, where you came from and your total mileage. We will reimburse up to $100 per car.

Please reach out to NAMI Iowa for further details on mileage reimbursement.

Is there a scholarship available?
Yes, there are a limited number of scholarship tickets available. Scholarships are available for peers and family members with limited incomes. The registration cost is reduced to $10. Please select a scholarship ticket at checkout and follow the directions to purchase your ticket and complete a scholarship application. Scholarship recipients are also eligible for a hotel stipend.

Are there hotel rooms available?
Hotel rooms at the Holiday Inn are subject to availability. Reservations must be completed by the attendee. NAMI Iowa has a block of 10 rooms.  Call 515-283-0151 to reserve.

Hotel stipends of $50 per person are available for those who qualify for a scholarship ticket. To receive the stipend, please reach out to NAMI Iowa staff before booking a room. Hotel stipends are processed as reimbursements.

What is the refund policy?

Registrations can be refunded on a case by case basis. Please contact NAMI Staff for more details. 

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?
Please call the NAMI Iowa office at 515-254-0417 or email amanda@namiiowa.org