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Deliberative Democracy has proved its value as an alternative to governance dominated by special interests, but its use in governing remains inconsistent. Overcoming this challenge will require the field to focus its energy on 1) building a cadre of elected leaders and public officials who understand deliberative democracy's value and how to do it, 2) engaging with the media so that it becomes an effective partner for the field and a more productive part of our democratic system, and 3) continuing to embrace opportunities – like Creating Community Solutions - to work in unique partnerships, build national infrastructure to support high-quality deliberation, and innovate across methodologies and models.

This presentation explores the causes of incivility and political dysfunction, the impact of the 2016 Presidential election, and what we can do now. How did we get to this point, where incivility and political dysfunction have become the social norm? How did the 2016 Presidential election change the conversation and the tone? What can Americans do to help move the country forward? How can we listen and talk to "the other side?" This presentation will explore these key questions and provide participants with a mechanism to help shape our country's future.

Deliberative Democracy has proved its value as an alternative to governance dominated by special interests, but its use in governing remains inconsistent. Overcoming this challenge will require the field to focus its energy on 1) building a cadre of elected leaders and public officials who understand deliberative democracy's value and how to do it, 2) engaging with the media so that it becomes an effective partner for the field and a more productive part of our democratic system, and 3) continuing to embrace opportunities – like Creating Community Solutions - to work in unique partnerships, build national infrastructure to support high-quality deliberation, and innovate across methodologies and models.

American democracy is at a pivotal moment: electoral dysfunction, low levels of participation, divisive politics, and power imbalances dominate governance and impede our ability to resolve critical issues facing the nation. In this environment, the author argues, our ability to be the representative system of government we claim is in question. Using Harold D. Lasswell's 1942 essay "The Developing Science of Democracy" as a vehicle for reflection, the author reviews progress and challenges in democratic practice today along four dimensions: information delivery and knowledge building; accurate capturing of citizens' views; conducting democratic conversations; and maintaining balances of power. Among the reforms necessary to address persistent challenges in each of these areas, explored in depth is the institutionalization of citizen voice in governance. Seven elements of an infrastructure to achieve such an institutionalization are reviewed: a mandatory legislative framework; designated physical spaces; specific technological, human, and organizational capacity; a trustworthy media; and a recommitment to civic education.

The struggle to find adequate mental health care is complicated by underlying factors of discrimination, cultural barriers, lack of early recognition, and inadequate resources. Traditionally, it has been difficult to talk about mental health issues because of fear of bias, cultural sensitivities and the lack of a safe place to discuss public concerns. This has left many families to grapple with problems in silence. As a result of President Obama's call to action on mental health, six deliberative democracy organizations formed an initiative called Creating Community Solutions (CCS). Their goal was to develop a multi-strategy program to respond to the challenges of reducing barriers to mental health and to create greater access to mental health services, especially for youth and underrepresented populations. This article focuses on how practitioners used extensive outreach and designed the process to reduce the inequalities participants can face in deliberation, allowing them to generate action plans for creating more equitable access to services. Through six-hour town hall meetings, community conversations, and an innovative texting platform, over 57,000 persons participated in the project, including community members, people with lived experience, mental health providers and youth.