2024 is an election year in America where the future of our country will be written. In November people nationwide will go to the polls to vote for their representatives, to consider ballot initiatives, and to engage in a critical exercise in democracy.
It is also a reminder of that civic engagement begins before the ballot box and continues afterwards. Political processes can have real effects on behavioral health policy. While much progress has been made in recent years through the establishment and growth of initiatives like 988, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), and school-based mental health, it is not guaranteed. That is why it is critical to remain informed and engaged in civic proceedings.
In this webinar, CBHL and NACBHDD highlighted efforts to increase civic participation and provided an overview of the federal policy process to help make you a more informed advocate. Through understanding the policy processes and ensuring all voices are heard, we can help build a more equitable and fair behavioral health system.
Speaker Information
Jonah C. Cunningham currently serves as President and CEO of the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD). In this role he proactively advocates for national policies that recognize and support the critical role counties play in caring for people affected by mental illness, addiction, and developmental disabilities. In this capacity he also serves as Executive Director of the National Association for Rural Mental Health.
Prior to joining NACBHDD, Jonah worked at Trust for America’s Health, a public health think tank, where he focused extensively on ways to reduce mortality from substance misuse and suicide. Additionally, he worked as a congressional staffer for several years in the office of Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (CA) where he helped to reestablish the Congressional Mental Health Caucus and created a Suicide Prevention Task Force within the Caucus.
Jonah C. Cunningham has received numerous awards and recognition for his commitment to the field of behavioral health and those served by the nation’s behavioral health system. Jonah has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Utah and a Master of Public Policy from The George Washington University. In his free time, he enjoys learning how to cook and is an avid Jiu-Jitsu practitioner.
Kelly Davis is the Vice President of Peer and Youth Advocacy at Mental Health America, where she works to expand peer support and young adult leadership. She is passionate about lived experience-driven programs, policies, organizations, and research. Kelly has been awarded the Disruptive Innovator Award by the National Association of Peer Supporters, the National Peer Leader of the Year Award by Peerpocalypse, and the 2023 Champion Award from Students with Psychosis. She holds certificates in yoga, applied positive psychology, and mental health leadership.
Kelly and her work have appeared in the New York Times, the Stanford Social Innovation Review, NBC Nightly News, NPR, and the White House. She recently earned her master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania, where she served as a research assistant in the Perelman School of Medicine studying lived experience perspectives of inpatient psychiatric units. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Brandon Graham serves as Director, Advocacy at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. Brandon oversees NAMI’s advocate development and mobilization to advance policies that build better lives for all people affected by mental health conditions. Brandon is responsible for its strategic advocacy campaigns—including the nonpartisan #Vote4MentalHealth campaign to help people understand the impact of their vote on mental health care in the U.S. Brandon also leads efforts to expand the organization’s advocacy presence on social media and thought leadership among policymakers. He serves on the Steering Committee for National Voter Registration Day (September 17, 2024).
Vesper Moore serves as the Chief Operating Officer at the Kiva Centers. As an Indigenous activist and leader, Vesper is deeply committed to promoting mental health and disability rights through activism, leadership, organizing, public speaking, and education. Their work focuses on cultivating social movements and raising public awareness to foster lasting social change.
Vesper has contributed to the establishment of mental health organizations worldwide and has been an advocate for civil rights in the United States. Through their advocacy, they have brought the perspectives of people with mental health challenges and disabilities to both national and international platforms.
Collaborating with the United States government and the United Nations, Vesper helps shape strategies around trauma, intersectionality, and disability rights. They have been featured on NBC News, PBS NewsHour, Politico, and at The White House. Vesper is at the forefront of legislative reform, striving to shift the societal paradigm surrounding mental health.