Athlete Mental Health Advocacy Day

Athletes for Hope (AFH) will host its second Athlete Mental Health Advocacy Day at the U.S. Capitol. Athletes, mental health partners and members of the Athlete Mental Health Alliance will gather for a panel, community conversation, and advocacy for athlete mental health with legislators to move further towards its goal to establish National Athlete Mental Health as a Basic Human Right.

While registration is free, sponsorship opportunities are available and donations are greatly appreciated! 

Tentative Agenda:

• 8:30 am:  Arrival & Breakfast/Networking
• 9 am-10:30 am:  Town Hall
• 10:30 am-11 am:  Packet Review/Distribution
• 11 am:  Guests Leave for Hill Visits
• 11:30 am -3 pm:  Hill Visits 
• 3 pm:  Group Photo on Capitol Steps
• 5 pm:  Small Group Dinner or Happy Hour Celebration (TBD)

Proceeds from the day will support AFH’s Whole Being Athlete (WBA) program. WBA unites and empowers athletes to help break down the barriers surrounding mental health, both in and out of sports. Funds raised will go toward the following:

• Helping young people from underserved schools develop their mental health skills
• Featuring stories and panel conversations to raise awareness about athlete mental health
• Activating athletes around mental health advocacy campaigns
• Educating athletes, coaches and communities about unique challenges faced by athletes
• Connecting national leaders to create legislative change for athletes at all levels

Revisit Our Inaugural Athlete Mental Health Advocacy Day

On the morning of Wednesday, May 31st, 2023, Athletes for Hope hosted its first Athlete Mental Health Advocacy Day at the U.S. Capitol. In a day full of emotional stories and successful championing of U.S. legislators, AFH moved further towards its goal of helping establish a National Athlete Mental Health Bill of Rights. 

To begin the day, Morgan’s Message’s Dona and Kurt Rodgers, Hilsinki’s Hope’s Mark and Kym Hilinski, Director of Player Development at the Connecticut Sun’s Awvee Storey, and Executive Director of the American Psychiatric Association Foundations’ Rawle Andrews Jr. headlined a series of testimonies that shared each person’s connection to the athlete mental health space. 

After the morning brief, AFH Director of Development Diana Venezia, AFH Chief Wellbeing Officer Suzanne Potts, and AFH Cheif Executive Officer Jason Belinkie led several groups to the U.S. Capitol and surrounding buildings for discussions and conversations with congressmen and their various staff. 

The discussions spanned from a breakdown of what AFH and the other organizations’ goals are in terms of helping establish legislation as well as an overview of how politicians can help athlete mental health as a whole. The staffers were receptive to the potential of National Legislation toward athlete mental health and opened the doors to future collaboration between AFH and Capitol Hill. 

AFH would like to thank The Hidden Opponent, Tackle What’s Next, Mindz Matter, Enough Suffering in Silence, the Bipartisan Policy Center, Alliance of Social Workers in Sports, The Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport, Grassroots Health and Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative for attending. 

2023 Athlete Mental Health Advocacy Day Recap Video