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Tips for Writing Letters
and Making Calls
The Fine Art of Letter
Writing
A well-written letter is the easiest ways to communicate with
legislators. Here are a few simple rules to keep in mind:
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In an address for both
Senators and Congressman, use The Honorable (full name).
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In the greeting, use
Dear Senator or Dear Representative. When writing to the Chair of a
Committee or the Speaker of the House, address them as: Dear Mr.
Chairman/Madam Chairwoman or Dear Mr. Speaker.
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Identify yourself and
your reason for writing.
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If you are part of a
DBSA chapter, mention this as well as your chapter affiliation with
the national office.
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Be brief; keep your
letter to one to two pages.
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Your purpose for writing
should be stated in the first paragraph of the letter. If your
letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation, identify it
accordingly, e.g., House bill: H.R. ____, Senate bill: S. ____.
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Discuss one issue per
letter.
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Specify your request for
action and why it’s important to you.
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Don’t be critical or
negative – if you disagree with your legislator, tell them why but
be courteous.
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Keep a signed, dated
copy of your letter.
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If you need help with a
letter on a major issue, go to DBSA’s Legislative Action Center
(link to LAC) to send sample letters or find out more information on
a piece of legislation.
Letter Writing Made Easy
Whether you want to write your own personal letter or send a
pre-formatted one for all mental health legislation, the DBSA
Legislative Action Center makes letter writing simple. Visit the
Legislative Action Center by
clicking here.
Once logged onto the DBSA advocacy page you will be able to enter your zip code to find:
- Your representatives in the
United States Senate and the House of Representatives, as
well as your state legislature.
- Summaries and status reports
of the pending legislation in the U.S. Congress that
pertains to mental health.
- Sample letters to format
yourself or send (via email) on the spot.
- Sample letters can be sent
“as is” or you can add your own personal story.
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Picking Up the Phone
When you phone your legislator remember the following:
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Be prepared.
Before calling, write down your message and review it carefully so
you know exactly what you want to say.
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Keep the message
simple and concise.
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Be polite. Both
legislators and staff work long hours, 12-hour days are common and
they have many pressures and demands.
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Don’t be afraid to
ask questions. Learn your legislator’s position on important
issues and why.
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Ask your legislators to
take a specific action on an issue.
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Leave your name and
address and ask if you can receive a letter from your
legislator responding to your concerns.
Note: Don’t expect to
personally speak to senators or representatives. You may be lucky
enough to get a chance during a local town meeting, but most members of
Congress find it impossible to take unscheduled calls from anyone other
than close advisors and other Congressional offices.
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