To the <mhocca> list:

On Saturday 3/10 at the Bay Area CNMHC Meeting myself and Jose Rangel (with the support of Alison Mills) presented a proposal to the Network for consideration by the Board of Directors. Our original note, very succinct, is online.

This note reflects the view that individual members of the Network should consider joining, if they support and care to advocate for (1) choice and (2) quality services. And also, that the Board of Directors should endorse the creation of such a coalition.

Of course we hope other client groups like the NEC-West, SOS, the People of Color Client Network, and local groups will also endorse this and encourage their members/associates to join and become active.

To whom it may concern:

In order to promote the most widespread and effective struggle of the clients in the battle over legislative reform of the mental health system, we urge that your organization endorse the following plan for a Coalition for Choice and Quality Services (CCQS):

1. That the coalition be made up of individual California clients who advocate (1) choice and (2) quality services;
2. That the various client organizations as much as possible be encouraged to endorse this coalition, but that no organization be a member of it;
3. That the individual voices and actions of the members in carrying out this struggle be the central work of the coalition;
4. That any coalition-sponsored action be organized by an ad-hoc group formed for the purpose of organizing that action;
5. That the question of whether ‘choice’ or ‘quality services’ is the priority shall be considered as beyond the scope of agreement among the members;
6. That the coalition unite on broad areas of general agreement while reserving differences where there is insufficient agreement;
7. That the coalition be committed to resolve as much as possible in concrete ways whatever differences may surface; and
8. That the coalition negotiate business by way of an agreed upon group of generally accepted contact persons, who have no authority but with regard to maintaining the contacts and other process issues as required.

Proposal for Governance of the Coalition.

1. The basic governance procedure is the consensus of the members, as determined by the contact persons. Every effort is to be made to construct terms which afford a general consensus.
2. In the case of a determined resistance to consensus by some members, the question of overriding the resistance may be considered. A 3/4 vote as determined by a procedure for time, place, and manner put forward by the contact persons, shall be the basis for majority override.

Your comments, thoughts, and contributions are invited.

Respectfully

Andrew Phelps