NEABPD organized a landmark congressional briefing on Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) on Capitol Hill in cooperation with bipartisan congressional co-sponsors Congressman Tom Davis (R-VA), Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), and Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). The briefing marked one of the earliest and most comprehensive efforts to educate Members of Congress and their staff about the seriousness, prevalence, and treatability of BPD.

Attendance far exceeded expectations, with more than 60 congressional staff members filling the room and standing along the walls—demonstrating strong engagement and interest in addressing gaps in diagnosis, access to care, and research. Staff and Members of Congress participated actively, asking informed questions and recognizing the urgency of the issues presented.

The briefing featured expert commentary from Jim Breiling, Ph.D., Program Head at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), who underscored both the progress made in understanding BPD and the continued need for expanded research, improved treatments, and greater access to evidence-based care, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

NEABPD President and Co-Founder Dr. Perry Hoffman opened the session by reframing the diagnosis itself, stating:

"There is nothing borderline about the illness—the suffering, the inaccessibility to care, the gaps in our knowledge, the need for research, or the impact of the illness on others."

The briefing powerfully centered lived experience, including testimony from:

• Tami, an individual living with BPD, challenged stereotypes by describing a successful professional life alongside severe emotional and impulse-regulation impairment.
• Stacey, a mother of a young adult with BPD, described the profound emotional toll on families and the damage caused by stigma and misunderstanding.
• Robert Friedel, M.D., who combined scientific expertise with personal experience, shared that he had lost a sister to the illness.

By integrating scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and lived experience, the briefing helped shift Congressional understanding of BPD as a serious, treatable mental illness. It represented a foundational moment in NEABPD's federal advocacy, laying the groundwork for future Congressional briefings, federal partnerships, and policy engagement.