More than 100 health and human service providers, advocates, and community members from Bucks and Montgomery Counties traveled to Harrisburg Tuesday (June 2) for the Bucks-Mont Collaborative’s annual Day of Advocacy, holding 30 meetings with area legislators and closing the day with a rally at the Capitol Rotunda Steps.
The event was hosted by the Bucks-Mont Collaborative, in partnership with the Housing Alliance of PA, Mental Health Partnerships, Interagency Council of Norristown, Tri-County Community Network, and Montco 30% Project. Together, representatives from more than 50 organizations delivered a unified message: that housing and behavioral health are inseparable priorities, and that the time for action is now. Advocates shared their 2026 housing and behavioral health policy priorities and legislative asks with every office they visited.
“The safety net is interconnected, and it is only as strong as its weakest thread,” said Kristyn DiDominick, Executive Director of the Bucks-Mont Collaborative. “When we invest in housing, we strengthen health. When we invest in behavioral health, we strengthen families. When we invest in the systems and organizations that serve our communities, we strengthen the Commonwealth.”
(Photo credit: Kyla Turbett, Family Promise Montco PA.)
The rally drew on the voices of those closest to the issues — both by lived experience and by profession.
Blessing Osazuwa, IHN Volunteer and Advocacy Coordinator at Family Promise Montco PA and Montco 30% Project Advisory Council member, drew on her own experience of childhood homelessness in Montgomery County to make the case for urgent legislative action.
“Every legislator I have spoken with today says they support affordable housing. I believe them,” said Osazuwa. “But belief without action does not keep families housed. We need your votes and we need your dollars. Housing is a human right, and no one deserves to be stigmatized or criminalized for a failing system.”
Phyllis Chamberlain, Executive Director of the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, highlighted the bipartisan momentum behind the day’s priorities, including HB 2186 — the ADU bill — which passed the House 139-62 on Monday with notable Republican support and is now before the Senate.
“We talk about housing, but what we’re really talking about is opportunity — the chance for every person to have a fair shot at stability, health, and community life,” said Chamberlain.
Nick Emeigh, Executive Director of NAMI Bucks County, brought a powerful personal perspective to the behavioral health ask, speaking as both an advocate and a person in recovery.
“I survived three suicide attempts while waiting for the intervention that would save me,” said Emeigh, who lives with Schizoaffective Disorder. “My turning point — the intervention that truly saved my life — was finally being granted access to Clozapine. When we remove barriers to care, we don’t just treat symptoms — we restore lives.”
Emeigh stressed that his story is not unique, and that legislation like HB 1519 — which would eliminate step therapy and prior authorization requirements for medications treating serious mental illness — could give countless others the same fighting chance. “How many others are still trapped behind that same red tape?”
Dr. Jeannine Lisitski, President and CEO of Mental Health Partnerships, drew an unambiguous connection between stable housing and mental health recovery.
“You cannot meaningfully address mental health without addressing housing. You simply cannot,” said Dr. Lisitski. “Stability is not a luxury. It is the foundation of recovery. Housing is not separate from mental health — housing is mental health care.”
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Deputy Secretary Jen Smith spoke to the Shapiro Administration’s recognition of the urgent and intersecting needs of housing and behavioral health, the foundational importance of a comprehensive continuum of community-based care, and the Administration’s concrete investments in and commitment to expanding access to behavioral health care services..
“Mental health is integral to our overall health, and we must ensure a robust behavioral health system to meet all Pennsylvanians’ needs. Studies show that recovery is not just possible, but likely, when adequate services and supports are made available,” said Deputy Secretary Smith. “Governor Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget looks to make recovery possible for more Pennsylvanians by proposing investments to enhance crisis services, expand behavioral health resources, and pilot programs to improve supports for Pennsylvanians experiencing homeless and people returning to their communities after incarceration. By funding these vital and proactive programs, Pennsylvania can literally save lives and give people the hope, support, and confidence they can and will get better.”
ABOUT THE BUCKS-MONT COLLABORATIVE
The Bucks-Mont Collaborative is a nonprofit membership organization of more than 130 health and human service providers and community partners in Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Members include direct service organizations, county agencies, health systems, foundations, and local businesses.
The Collaborative coordinates programs in collaboration, education, and advocacy to strengthen the region’s human services network. Its advocacy work is supported by the Collaborative Advocacy Network (CAN), a member group that meets regularly to share information and resources, and advocate for issues affecting providers and the communities they serve.
(The preceding news release was provided verbatim by Bucks-Mont Collaborative)