Community Discussions NOW That Actually Want Our Perspective

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President Obama called for a national mental health discussion a while ago and here are the details. It has the chance to be a dog and pony show as our peers were excluded from part of the planning process (making the discussion guide). But the organization that is running this has now recognized that problem and is working to balance different viewpoints on mental health. Here is their recent webinar talking about different points of view in mental health. I’ve been working on this project for two years, and if we jump on it now, we have a chance to really get heard.  Here is also more information on the deliberative democracy approach that they are using.

Me posing with the Please Cut our Budgets - We'll tell you how. This T-shirt scares providers but most peers get it right away.
Me posing with the Please Cut our Budgets – We’ll tell you how. This T-shirt scares providers but most peers get it right away.

The national mental health dialogues are listed here. http://creatingcommunitysolutions.org/. If you can’t get to one of the talks, there is also an online discussion. Spread the word – we need 10-15 psych survivors in each city to get critical mass. Most of these discussions are limiting Mental Health provider spots because they want to hear from people in the community like US. This is a once in a long time chance to challenge the status quo.

This is a very, very big chance to Make Sure we’re heard. The forced med people with all the money will be on top of this already for sure. Many, many cities are involved. The ones with events already scheduled are below but about 30 other cities are planning events so check the map at: http://creatingcommunitysolutions.org/.

1) Invite all your Facebook friends to the Facebook event invite:
2) Write about this on your blogs
3) Copy the text of this post and Email your friends.
4) Call and text your friends
5) Organize a carppor to the nearest city
6) Weigh on online: http://theciviccommons.com/issues/mental-health-initiative?from=mentalhealth

List of cities hosting mental health dialogues:

  • Chittenden County, VT: Monday, September 9, 2013 – 9:00am
  • Eau Claire, WI: Thursday, September 12, 2013 – 6:30pm
  • Denton County, TX: Saturday, September 14, 2013 – 8:00am
  • Kansas City, MO: Saturday, September 21, 2013 – 9:00am (That’s me!)
  • Phoenix, AZ: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 – 6:00pm
  • Sedona, AZ: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 – 6:00pm
  • Yuma, AZ: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 – 6:00pm
  • Tucson, AZ: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 – 6:00pm
  • Flagstaff, AZ: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 – 6:00pm
  • Alexandria, VA: Sunday, October 6, 2013 – 2:00pm
  • Charlotte, NC: Thursday, October 10, 2013 – 6:00pm
  • Washington, DC: Saturday, October 12, 2013 – 9:30am

If you’ve missed me online, I’ve missed you, too. I had a bad bike wreck two months ago and still have a lot of recovery to do from traumatic brain injury. I’m typing right now with a dimmed monitor and sunglasses and ibuprofen. Don’t expect me to be super fast with the responses to comments, but feel free to shout out. I would love to hear from you.

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Mad in America hosts blogs by a diverse group of writers. These posts are designed to serve as a public forum for a discussion—broadly speaking—of psychiatry and its treatments. The opinions expressed are the writers’ own.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Hi Corinna,

    I am so sorry about your bike wreck and wish you a speedy recovery.

    Thank you so much for posting the cities where these events will be held. One of the locations is very close to me and I am so excited. I just contacted the organizer to find out more information.

    Thanks!

    AA

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  2. Please Cut our Budgets – We’ll tell you how.

    I like that T-shirt. It was learning the truth about psychiatry from websites like this one and a few books that lead to my recovery. The hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on psychiatry did nothing but keep me sick for years.

    I need to hang out with others into this cause, it would be alot of fun. Im going to spread the over at psychforums.com/anti-psych/

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