The STARR Coalition

02/18/2026

📋 Day 18: Break down barriers to research!

Did you know? Outdated leave policies make it hard for people to participate in clinical trials - even when they want to help advance mental health research. 😔

The problem: Clinical trials often require multiple appointments and time commitments, but many people can't take unpaid leave from work.

The solution: Updating FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) to include clinical trial participation as a valid reason for medical leave!

This would:
✅ Make it easier for people to contribute to research
✅ Help scientists recruit participants and complete studies faster
✅ Advance mental health treatments for everyone
✅ Remove financial barriers to research participation

Today's challenge: Read more about how FMLA updates could transform clinical research access, and share this information to show your support! 💚

Together, we can make research participation accessible to everyone.

🔗 Learn more: www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla
🔗 Follow along with our Fueling the Future February calendar: thestarr.org/futurefeb

02/17/2026

📢 It's Day 17 of Fueling the Future February!

Today's challenge: Support the EPIC Act 💚

The EPIC Act is important legislation that could change the landscape of mental health research and treatment access. Here's how you can make a difference today:

How you can help:
✅ Learn more about the EPIC Act and how it impacts mental health care
- thestarr.org/epic-act/
✅ Share this post with your friends and family
✅ Contact your representatives to show your support
- thestarr.org/epic-act-contacting-your-legislator/

Every voice counts when it comes to advancing mental health research!

Want to join the full month's challenge?

Check out our calendar: thestarr.org/futurefeb

02/16/2026

The Harley Jacobsen Act could transform clinical trial participation. Here's how you can help make it law. 📝

What is the Harley Jacobsen Act?

This critical legislation would make all clinical trial compensation tax-exempt, removing a major barrier to participation and ensuring equitable access to research. Trial participants should be supported - not penalized - for helping bring new treatments to life.

Today's action:
Support the Harley Jacobsen Act through multiple channels:

✅ Contact your legislators - Let them know this matters to you
📧 Sign the petition on Change.org - Add your voice to thousands of others
✍️ Sign the letter to Congress on the Mural Health website - Direct impact on lawmakers
📢 Share with your network and colleagues - Amplify the message

Right now, people who participate in clinical trials can face tax consequences on compensation they receive - even though they're contributing to medical breakthroughs that benefit everyone. This creates an unfair burden and discourages participation, especially for those who need it most.

Take action today:
Read more about the HJ Act: https://thestarr.org/hjact/
Contact your legislators: https://thestarr.org/hja-legislator/
Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/support-the-harley-jacobsen-clinical-trial-participant-income-exemption-act
Sign the letter to Congress: https://diversity.muralhealth.com/mural-health-letter-to-congress

Every signature, every call, every share matters.

Let's get this done!

02/16/2026

Mark your calendars! 📅

Join us for a critical conversation about the future of mental health research -
Fueling the Future of Mental Health Research: Industry Leadership, Trust, and Policy in a Pivotal Moment

🗓️ Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET
💻 Virtual Panel Discussion

Featured Panelists:
- Katie Sale, Executive Director, American Brain Coalition
- Catherine Gamble, Associate Director State Advocacy, NeuroPsychiatry, Bristol Myers Squibb
- Mallory Witham, Director of Business Development, Pillar Clinical Research
- Erica Moore, Executive Director, The STARR Coalition

This timely discussion will explore how industry leadership, public trust, and policy intersect to shape the future of mental health research - and what it means for patients, advocates, and the research community.

As we continue Fueling the Future February, this webinar is the perfect opportunity to go deeper into the critical issues facing mental health research today.

Register now: bit.ly/futurefeb

02/15/2026

We hope you've been following along with our "Fueling the Future February" campaign! 🧠💙

If not, it's not too late!

Check out our full calendar here: https://thestarr.org/futurefeb/

This week is Policy Support Week - it's time to engage with lawmakers and advocate for policies that advance mental health research!

Today's challenge: Take time this week to learn about mental health policies and supportive acts that can transform lives. Use that knowledge and contact your federal lawmaker's district office with research advocacy materials.

Why this matters:
✓ Policy shapes research funding
✓ Legislation can remove barriers to clinical trial participation
✓ Your voice can influence lawmakers' priorities
✓ Local visits have real impact

Key policies to support:
- The Harley Jacobsen Act (tax-exempt trial compensation)
- EPIC Act (supporting CNS drug development)
- FMLA modifications (protected leave for trial participation)

Learn more about these policies: https://thestarr.org/supportpublicpolicies/

This week, we'll be focusing on specific actions you can take to make your voice heard.

02/14/2026

Support groups are safe spaces where people share their experiences and seek hope. 💬💙

Today's action: Start a conversation about mental health research at a local support group meeting.

Support groups are powerful places where people:
✓ Share their mental health journeys
✓ Learn from others' experiences
✓ Discover new treatment options
✓ Find encouragement and community

By bringing up clinical research in these spaces, you're opening doors to possibilities that group members might not know exist. Share information about local research opportunities, dispel myths, or simply talk about how research has impacted your own journey.

Remember: Many people first learn about research opportunities through conversations with peers who've been there.

Find a support group near you:
NAMI: www.nami.org
DBSA: www.dbsalliance.org

Find trials: www.clinicaltrials.gov

Have you discussed research at your support group?
Share your experience in the comments!

02/13/2026

Libraries are community hubs where people go to learn and find resources. 📚💙

Today's action: Partner with your local public library to help educate neighbors on the benefits and safety of mental health clinical studies.

Reach out to your library and ask about these opportunities:
- Offering an educational session to library members
- Staffing a temporary "help desk" area in the library
- Placing educational materials on clinical research with QR codes to more information

Libraries serve diverse communities and are trusted spaces for health information. By bringing mental health research education to the library, you're meeting people where they are - and where they're already seeking knowledge.

Resources to share:
Dispelling Myths: https://thestarr.org/dispelling-myths-about-clinical-research/
Find trials: www.clinicaltrials.gov
Toolkit graphics: https://thestarr.org/ffftoolkit/

Who's ready to reach out to their local library today? 🙋

02/12/2026

Let's bust some myths! 💡

One of the biggest barriers to participating in clinical research?

Misconceptions.

Many people think clinical trials are just "experimental" or risky - but that's simply not true.

Today's action: Help someone understand that clinical research is a legitimate care option with rigorous safety protocols, informed consent, and potential access to cutting-edge treatments.

Share our comprehensive resource page that addresses common myths: 👉 Dispelling Myths about Clinical Research: https://thestarr.org/dispelling-myths-about-clinical-research/

Common myths we're busting:

❌ "Clinical trials are dangerous experiments"
✅ Trials have strict safety protocols and oversight

❌ "I'll be a guinea pig"
✅ You're a valued partner in advancing science

❌ "I won't get real treatment"
✅ All participants receive comprehensive care, and many get access to new treatments

Knowledge is power.

Share this resource today!

02/11/2026

Building partnerships that save lives. 🏥

Today's action: Reach out to a nearby hospital or mental health clinic to explore a simple collaboration around clinical research.

Your game plan:
✓ Introduce your organization
✓ Ask for the outreach or research coordinator
✓ Propose a short "What to Expect in a Trial" talk or flyer placement with QR codes
✓ Share why this helps local families (benefits, safety, access to possible new treatments)
✓ Offer to co-promote
✓ Aim to schedule a 20-minute planning call

Hospitals and clinics want to help their patients - sometimes they just need someone to take the first step in creating these educational opportunities.

Who will you reach out to today?

Let us know in the comments!

02/10/2026

Faith communities have incredible power to educate and support their members. ⛪🕌🕍

Today's challenge: Partner with your local church or faith community to help educate congregants on the benefits and safety of mental health clinical studies.

Reach out to church leaders and ask if you can:
- Offer an educational session to the congregation
- Place a bulletin insert or flyer with educational materials on clinical research, including QR codes to more information

Faith communities are trusted spaces where people turn for support during difficult times. By bringing mental health research information into these spaces, you're helping break down barriers and making hope more accessible.

Resources to share:

Dispelling Myths: https://thestarr.org/dispelling-myths-about-clinical-research/
Find trials: www.clinicaltrials.gov

Who will you reach out to today?

02/09/2026

The numbers are staggering—and they tell a story we can't ignore. 💡

$366.8 billion.

That's what schizophrenia alone costs the U.S. every year, according to a new report from the Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance.

But here's the good news: Another groundbreaking report from the Sorenson Impact Institute shows that investing in effective mental health care produces real, measurable economic returns.

Better treatment access means:
✓ Fewer emergency room visits
✓ Reduced hospitalizations
✓ Less criminal justice involvement
✓ More people able to work and contribute to their communities

Mental health isn't just a compassionate cause - it's an economic imperative. When we invest in care and research, everyone benefits.

Read more about these important findings: https://thestarr.org/news/costreturn/

Two recent national reports offer powerful, complementary insights into the economic and social impact of mental health conditions and services in the United States. Together, they demonstrate both the high cost of untreated serious mental illness and the measurable value of investing in effective c...

02/09/2026

Be a bridge to hope today. 🌉

Today's challenge:
Help one person in your circle find a nearby mental health clinical research option and take a simple next step.

Small actions that make a big difference:
✓ Help them save a research site's phone number
✓ Join a study interest list together
✓ Make an appointment with them
✓ Help them write down a question to ask at their next appointment

You don't have to be an expert - just be supportive.

Sometimes all someone needs is a little encouragement to take that first step toward exploring research as a treatment option.

Search for clinical trials near you: www.clinicaltrials.gov

Who will you help connect to research today?