We do a good deal of bickering and a lot of times we air that dirty laundry in public. But it's an important process. My job is to facilitate so we can move policy forward. It's difficult to get mental health on the agenda in Washington. Things tend to be done incrementally, as a lot of things are done in this town, not so different than on the state level.
Incremental steps are important.
It's important to have diverse views at the table. A lot of times the consumer point of view will be more firm than a lot of the established groups. Identify the core issues of the consumer movement, decide what positions you want, where you are or aren't willing to compromise, and put out the radical point of view where it needs to be put out. Participating in policy formation will help support consumers to live and work decently in the community. Help us move away from what I see as a punitive, negative attitude on the Hill, which is reflected in the press and in state legislatures.