Mental Health Professionals, and the people they work with, are fundamentally dependent on the decisions made by the people who are elected public office. We must participate and engage in the political process; and assist others in learning how to engage in the process.

There is an ever-increasing need for mental health professionals' participation in the political process. The recent socio-political climate has motivated students to become more politically aware and mental health professionals to become more involved – as evidenced by the recent elections of Social Workers to the United State House of Representatives, Senate, the Mayor of Los Angeles, California, and the Governor of the state of Arizona - in addition to numerous state, local, and municipal offices.

In order to continue, and build upon, these recent gains, it is more important than ever for providers to educate themselves on political systems in order to pass this knowledge…