About Family Advocacy Movement

Family Advocacy Movement and website was conceived and founded by Nebraska parents Kent and Melanie Smotherman, with the support and inspiration of many other families in their state and across the country.

This site provides tools for parents and families to use to help each of us share our story and experiences with others, find supportive voices, join in supporting others, determine systemic problems, and organize for change.

The families who use this site have been adversely affected by law enforcement, HHS, the courts, and/or mental/behavioral heath care systems. Their children have been the most vulnerable victims of the callous and neglectful treatment of the states' "business-as-usual" behaviors and violations of their own families' civil rights.

Currently, Nebraska is the most active state on this website (visit Nebraska to see some of the growing discussions!), because this is where the site originates. But keep checking back and visit the various states from time-to-time to see if there are new developments. Join in these discussions or be the first to create content for your own state!

Most of all, SPREAD THE WORD to those you know who may benefit from learning they aren't alone. Families and parents do not need to feel isolated any more.

Once you register, you can enter into discussions in the forums for your state, blog about your experiences, offer your own timeline story, and chat live with others who are logged in. Stay connected with events, and let us know if you need us to post an issue-related event on your state page.

We believe that the best way to fight "the system" is to share our collective stories and our ideas with each other about how to make the system better. In dong so, we will all help each other become a strong voice for reform.

This website is still very new, so you might not see much content for your state, yet. But don't let that discourage you - reach out, take a chance, and see how many wonderfully supportive people are out there with a kind word, a sympathetic story of their own, and great ideas on how to move forward!