David L. Conley

Examines state-level behavioral health-related bills in order to identify any patterns related to bill outcomes between presidential administrations. Finds that bills pass more frequently if introduced during the Obama administration and/or were introduced by bipartisan sponsors, senators, sponsors in the majority party, sponsors of color, non-Christian-Protestants, older sponsors, and/or Southerners and Westerners. Also finds differences between presidential administrations.

Discusses the role of political social work in competency-based social work education and provides a framework for faculty, field supervisors, and students to connect political action to their education in order to build confidence and competence related to political engagement.

Examines federal behavioral health-related bills and factors related to their sponsor(s) in order to identify trends related to bill outcomes. Finds that senators, Republicans, members of the majority party, and/or White/Caucasians were more likely to sponsor behavioral health-related bills that passed.

Discusses forms of mental illness stigma affecting policy processes, examines HIV/AIDS destigmatization strategies, and utilizes policy process theory to provide blueprints for advocates to use during development of their advocacy agendas and stigma reduction campaigns.

Discusses challenges in improving access to behavioral healthcare treatments, highlighting that while policymakers have the potential to address gaps in coverage, most behavioral health-related legislation tends to fail. Finds that internal characteristics of the policymakers as well as external forces in their environments influence the behavioral health-related legislative process.

Analyzes mental health-related legislation in order to identify forms of structural stigma as well as any legislative influences. Findings revealed that legislator political party, chamber, and gender were significantly associated with structural stigma, with Republican party membership being a significant predictor.

Examines mental health bills in order to expose current forms of structural stigma as well as identify patterns related to bill outcomes. Finds that structural stigma was present in the language and potential effect of mental health-related bills. Additionally, political party of the sponsor(s), party majority status, and structurally stigmatic language were all associated with bill passage.

Explores state mental health legislative proposals with goals of exposing forms of structural stigma present in the language and potential effect of the bills as well as identifying and disseminating patterns in mental healthcare policy outcomes. Finds that bills were structurally stigmatic in language and potential effect.