ADVOCACY
Advocacy is at the Heart of Peer Support
Advocacy is a core competency for Peer Support Specialists. We advocate for ourselves, our service participants, and communities, including the peer workforce. For more than 80 years, Cal Voices has been at the forefront of advocating for improved public behavioral health services in Sacramento County and Statewide! In addition we have been teaching other peers how to advocate!
“Advocates are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.”
- Bill Drayton, Leading Social Entrepreneurs Changing the World
What is Advocacy
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Voicing support for a particular cause or policy
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Speaking about or organizing support for something that affects you, someone you care about, or others in the same situation (may involve outreach, engagement, and education)
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Helping others advocate for themselves
Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialists use advocacy to:
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Promote client self-advocacy
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Help clients establish personal needs, goals, and objectives as their focal points of rehabilitation, resiliency, recovery, and wellness
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Assist clients in developing empowerment skills and combating stigma (i.e., public, structural, and self)
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Promote clients’ rights to services
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Address systemic issues in the public behavioral health system
Cal Voices Priority Legislation
Cal Voices has taken positions on key pieces of legislation related to peer support specialists, mental health, and substance use for the 2025/2026 policy year. Please read our Priority Bills document for more information. Need help understanding the status of a bill? Check out the Glossary of Legislative Terms.
AB 96 (Asm. Jackson); co-sponsored by Cal Voices and the County Behavioral Health Directors Association
AB 96 would amend WIC § 14045.15(a) to eliminate the requirement for applicants to possess a high school diploma or equivalent degree to become a CMPSS. This legislation has the potential to significantly expand the CMPSS workforce to improve access to behavioral healthcare for priority Medi-Cal populations, as outlined by Proposition 1. This is a crucial step for California, which is facing a serious behavioral health workforce shortage. Read the AB 96 (Jackson) coalition letter submitted to the Senate Health Committee.