Nonviolent Revolution in Mental Health Conference & Protest

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Sat, 19 Mar 2005 11:38:39 -0800

 

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" Nonviolent Revolution in Mental Health " Conference & Protest

 

 

 

 

 

MINDFREEDOM-NEWS UPDATE - 19 March 2005

http://www.MindFreedom.org - IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Activists call for " Nonviolent

revolution in the mental health system "

 

Latest Updates About MindFreedom 2005

Action Conference and Protest of PhRMA

 

Friday, April 29 to Monday May 2, 2005

 

American University Washington College of Law

Washington, DC, USA

 

Activists and advocates for human rights in the

mental health system are registering for a

unique and historic conference that ends with

a protest of the psychiatric drug industry.

 

Rather than the usual conference featuring

speakers and a passive audience, this event

is action oriented. Participants will work

side-by-side on campaigns and strategies to win

what they call a " nonvinolent revolution in

the mental health system. "

 

Experienced leaders and facilitators will work

as equals with participants new to the field.

 

The conference is co-sponsored by MindFreedom

International and American University Washington

College of Law, where the conference will be held.

 

At the end of this Action Conference, all are

welcome to join participants in a peaceful

protest in front of the pharmaceutical industry's

main headquarters. Organizers say they oppose

PhRMA's unethical support for fraud, force,

and limited choice in the mental health system.

 

The title of the conference is: " Activism for

Human Rights in Mental Health: How the Law Can

Support Grassroots Action for Human

Rights in the Mental Health System. "

 

Krista Erickson, chair of the Action Conference

Planning Committee said, " Space is limited but

there is still enough room if you register soon.

Pre-registration is absolutely required, first

come first served. We're going to get some work

done with some very dedicated people. "

 

For your invitation to the conference

with complete updates and information

about registration, agenda, transport,

lodging and the protest, go to the

ACTION CONFERENCE INFO CENTER:

 

http://mindfreedom.org/mindfreedom/action_conference.shtml.

 

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BELOW ARE *UPDATES* ABOUT

THE ACTION CONFERENCE:

 

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(1) CURRENT TRACKS & FACILITATORS

 

Participants can stay in one track or work in several.

 

Here are the latest descriptions with the current list

of experienced facilitators for each track.

 

** INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGNS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS:

Stop globalization of psychiatric human rights violations!

 

Facilitators: MindFreedom President Celia Brown,

leader of the MindFreedom team at the UN, and

MindFreedom Director David Oaks. Both are

psychiatric survivors.

 

Topics: Advocacy with The World Health

Organization (WHO) as well as the United

Nations (UN) especially related to the

International Convention on the Rights of

People with Disabilities.

 

Including:

 

- fighting drug industry dominance worldwide

 

- organizing in developing countries

 

- protesting globalization of human rights violation in psychiatry

 

** US CONGRESS/FEDERAL GOVERNMENT:

Resist PhRMA's take over of our government!

 

Facilitators include: Dominick Riccio, PhD, Executive of the International Center for the Study of

Psychology and Psychiatry (ICSPP) and Jake Johnson.

 

Jake Johnson is a professor at Bowie State University

in Bowie, Maryland. He is an expert on cultural

competence in mental health treatment, especially

working with African Americans. He is a member

of ICSPP and is a frequent presenter at ICSPP conferences

 

Topics: Planning actions to resist the unfair influence

of the psychiatric drug industry on the US government.

 

Including:

 

- Lobbying congress and federal government

 

- Challenging the Food & Drug Administration

 

- Enforcing the Federal Data Quality Act

 

- Opposing the implementation of mandatory mental health screening

 

** CHOICES IN MENTAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN:

More options for mental and emotional well being!

 

Facilitators: Janet Foner, MindFreedom International

board member. Leah Harris, spokesperson,

MindFreedom Washington, DC Metro Area.

Both are psychiatric survivors.

 

Focus: Support humane alternatives to the

traditional mental health system.

 

Include:

 

- Network groups and individuals promoting

empowering options for recovery

 

- Create a referral directory of humane alternatives

 

- Plan a MindFreedom conference on

alternatives to the current mental health system

 

** HOW THE LAW CAN HELP STOP FORCED TREATMENT:

End coerced psychiatric drugging, electroshock and more!

 

Facilitators include: Noted attorney,

Jim Gottstein, Director of the Law Project

for Psychiatric Rights (PsychRights).

 

Focus: Fight the increased use of

force in the mental health system by

combining the tools of the legal system

and grassroots activism.

 

Include:

 

- approaches for defending people subjected

to forced treatment

 

- strategic lawsuits stopping forced treatment

and other human rights abuses

 

- effective legal efforts

 

- supporting ongoing efforts such as the

MindFreedom Shield Program

 

** PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE MEDIA:

Break the Corporate Media Silence on these Issues!

 

Facilitators include: Bob Whitaker, journalist and

author of the book _Mad in America_. Laurie Ahern

is a staff person at Mental Disabilities Rights

International, and a psychiatric survivor.

 

Focus: Relationship between the media,

science and grassroots actions for human rights

in mental health.

 

Includes:

 

- Grassroots actions to challenge the dominance

of the psychiatric industry in the media

 

- Public educational campaigns.

 

- Use of paid advertising and " sign on " ads

 

** OPEN TRACK: Your voice and leadership

are respected and encouraged!

 

Facilitators include: MindFreedom board

member Al Galves, PhD.

 

Focus: Provide an open space for any

conference participants to raise topics,

ideas or concerns not covered by other

conference tracks, especially voices

from neglected and marginalized groups.

 

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(2) PROTEST PLANNING COMMITTEE

 

MindFreedom International is pro-choice.

Some members choose to take prescribed

psychiatric drugs. However, the domination

and control by the pharmaceutical industry

over the mental health system must be

challenged now to win human rights.

 

MindFreedom is sponsoring a nonviolent protest

in front of the headquarters of the Pharmaceutical

Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)

at 1100 Fifteenth St. NW, Washington, D.C. on

Monday, 2 May 2005 -- Noon. A police permit

application has already been submitted.

 

Protesters will bring props including a huge pill to

re-enact PhRMA's take-over of psychiatry & politics.

 

Volunteers are urgently needed to take leadership.

If you would like to be on the protest planning

committee and participate in e-mail and teleconference

planning, please contact office.

 

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(3) MORE FUNDS NEEDED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

 

The deadline for scholarship applications is

now *OVER*. Far more requests for funds have

been received than are currently available.

 

MORE DONATIONS are urgently needed for this

scholarship fund. Whether or not you plan on

attending this event, please consider helping

others go to this conference now!

 

Your donation is tax-deductible under IRS 501©(3).

You may donate via the web, please specify in the

" comments " section that your donation is for

SCHOLARSHIPS:

 

http://www.mindfreedom.org/join.shtml

 

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(4) IMPORTANT HOUSEKEEPING NOTE:

 

This MindFreedom-News announcement

system replaces the DENDRITE list.

This is still a free, public, one-way,

occasional announcement list about

news and alerts regarding human

rights in the mental health system.

 

All other MindFreedom e-mail lists will

also soon be replaced by this new service.

Please note Intenex is spelled without an " r. "

 

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(5) UPDATES ON WEB SITE:

 

More updates about lodging and other

logistics have been posted on the web

with the date listed for each update.

This is also where you can print out

your registration form to fax or mail

it in to the MindFreedom office, soon!

 

ACTION CONFERENCE INFO CENTER:

 

http://mindfreedom.org/mindfreedom/action_conference.shtml.

 

Please help build the momentum for this importante event.

 

PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL APPROPRIATE PLACES

ON AND OFF THE INTERNET.

 

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MINDFREEDOM INTERNATIONAL wins

human righs in the mental health system.

 

For information about MindFreedom's

human rights action campaigns see:

 

http://www.MindFreedom.org

 

MindFreedom is a non-profit uniting over

100 sponsor groups in 15 countries

and is a Non Governmental Organization

accredited by the United Nations with

Consultative Roster Status.

 

Sometimes called the " Amnesty

International of mental health, "

MindFreedom is independent from any

government, mental health provider,

corporation or religion.

 

To join or renew your membership in

MindFreedom go now to:

 

http://www.mindfreedom.org/join.shtml

 

Those interested in joining may

request a free sample copy of the

_MindFreedom Journal_ by

e-mailing your postal mailing address to:

office.

 

Or write to:

 

MindFreedom

454 Willamette, Suite 216

PO Box 11284

Eugene, OR 9744-3484 USA

 

Please forward to all appropriate

places on and off the Internet.

 

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