Mental Health Housing Advocate – Planner

Presentation by: Susan Medlin, Office for Consumer Empowerment Coordinator
Adapted from: Prevention and Early Intervention, Community Planning Process

ADVOCATES call attention to the needs of groups they represent and support targeting services to these groups.

Advocates are important to the process because they:
Help ensure that attention is brought to the needs of specific populations
Question assumptions made by other members (i.e., other advocates)
Help ensure consideration of community factors
Help ensure appropriate strategies and interventions for particular populations

PLANNERS consider the needs of all target populations and subpopulations in Orange County, and prioritize needs and allocate resources to services based on sound data and objective criteria.

Each person, as a planner is, responsible for:
Managing conflict of interest
Taking responsibility for an equitable and sound process

ADVOCATE & PLANNER
Managing the personal struggle between advocate and planner is essential so priorities are based on demonstrated relative need, and not the power, influence, or advocacy skills of any single member

The ADVOCATE in each member informs the process

The PLANNER in each member makes the decision