Struggle and Solidarity

Seven Stories of How Americans Fought for Their Mental Health Through Federal Legislation

Michael Compton, Marc Manseau
American Psychiatric Association
272 pages
ISBN: 9781615372386
December 2022

Mental health does not exist in a vacuum. By taking a case study approach to seven key American pieces of federal legislation―among them, the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, the Social Security Act of 1935, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965―it demonstrates how public policies, even when not explicitly mental health–related, can shape social determinants and improve mental health in the United States. In sharing examples of how individuals and groups have successfully advocated for policy changes, the authors illustrate how important advocacy work can be accomplished and inspire readers to get involved in similar work to improve mental health today and in the future.