Struggle and Solidarity: Seven Stories of How Americans Fought for Their Mental Health Through Federal Legislation

Mental health does not exist in a vacuum. The context in which an individual is
born, grows, lives, and works has a profound impact on their mental and physical
well-being. But although the powerful effects of these social determinants of
mental health are not in question, how to affect them in actionable ways
is.

Struggle and Solidarity addresses that gap in a compelling manner. By
taking a case study approach to seven key 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.

For each of the seven laws, the book describes

The
crisis in society that spurred the law's inception Some of the key individuals
and groups who drove its passage How the law has evolved over time-including
its shortcomings How the law can continue to influence mental health in the
future

Forgoing academic language in favor of a more approachable style
and including photographs of some of the key players involved in each piece of
legislation, this volume is accessible to all audiences while still making vivid
and rigorous connections between national policymaking and the social
determinants of mental health, summarizing the literature linking key social
determinants affected by each law to mental health outcomes.

In sharing
real examples of how individuals and groups have successfully advocated for
policy changes, the authors of this book 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.