Mental Health Advocacy Committee Meeting
Lori Barnes, Chair
11:00 a.m. Call to Order
Members - Note - please be sure you have selected a membership category for official committee membership. If you are an alternate designee for a group or provider, we can add that designation.
Statehouse reserved space - March 9, 2026 - State Capitol, First and Second Floor Rotunda and South Steps/Apron
2026 Agenda (Amy share)
- Fundraising - sponsor followup:
- Prairie View $500
- HQ $500
- ACMHC $500
- KS Clubhouse Coalition $2000
- Sunflower $500
- Edwardsville $500
- JO CO Mental Health $1000
- Blue Cross/healthy blue (getting approval)
- NetSmart (getting approval)
- Health Forward (getting approval)
- Advent Health $1000
- Reach $1000
- Camber $500
- United $2000
Exhibitors so far: Lotus House, KS Consumer, NAMI KS, Breakthrough ESS, Breakthrough Episcopal, St. Francis, KDHE Working Healthy.
- Volunteers- need people directing and ushering on main floor, registration, lunch.
- Legislative meeting set-up - Rebekah Darrow. rdarrow@healthsrc.org
- Exhibitors - Susan Rome
- Lunch - Mary
- Training - David, Chris, Lori
- Packets - Need to get list of supplies needed and ordered with them being shipped to Molly at Lotus, Chad Childs delivering to Topeka 2/24th. Amy printing stickers/labels and get to Lotus.
- Name Tags- Sheilah (Monica to get organizing folder to)
- Registration - Working with Netsmart
- Cookies, snacks - Lori ordering 400 cookies with ombre puzzle and there. Amy sticker for cookies. Bundt cakes. Strawberry/cream and confetti 170 with Amy Pick up on Saturday then I can grab Sunday? Ice Cream social. Need $100 deposit, set up 1:45pm with social at 2:15pm. What 5 toppings? Oreo, cookies dough, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peanut butter cups, heath, M&M, chocolate sauce, pecans, brownies, carmel, sprinkles, whipped cream, gummy worms.
- Rally and Awards - 2 Legislative awards, advocate aware, Matt and Sherrie poetry, Gov.
- Issue Papers - Amy - Please review this updated testimony re: Continuum of Care. Committee members please review the 2025 issue papers for needed updates and amendments or new advocacy priorities (need to printer by 2/13)
- Accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing participants- Kelsey.
- Photo Booth- Tim x2- second floor incentive Tim H working on graphic
- Theme - Every Piece Matters (name tag, props Lotus)
- Lori/Mary KSN Feb. 25th, Monica/Amy WIBW Feb. 16th
- Lanyards - have 410
- Committee gear - buttons are being worked on.
- Floor recognition. Lori (Sen Owens and Rep Hoffman)
Other reach outs - Amy (Governor),
Tentative NAMI Smarts Trainings - (1) Wichita KS at Walter's Branch Library on Feb. 5 (Module 1), 12 (Module 2), & 19 (Module 3) at 4:30pm. Library will open up registration in January. (2) On-line Feb. 4th 3pm-6pm Modules 1 and 3. (3) March 8th from 2pm-5pm in Topeka at possibly Topeka Library (change of local from NAMI KS Headquarters). Modules 1 and 3. Hotel reimbursement costs?
Tentative Upcoming Meeting Schedule:, Jan. 30, Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27, and Mar. 6.
12:00 p.m. Adjourn
