The COVID pandemic has presented a lot of change, chaos, uncertainty, and challenge within our communities and beyond. We’ve had to make a lot of difficult decisions along the way, and that will continue for at least a bit longer. But we wanted to also pause and share some of why we’ve made the decisions…

On Wednesday, June 15, alarms were sounded across the state by disability rights groups when proposed amendments were published as a part of a response to  a House version of the following Senate Bill: ‘An Act Reducing Barriers to Care for Mental Health’ (S.2584). The alarms rose because Amendment #13 represented yet another attempt to push…

Sera Davidow, Wildflower Alliance Director An increasing number of schools have begun restricting bathroom access for kids in their care during the school day. This is a serious issue that has many potentially negative consequences ranging from illness to a loss of  agency in one’s own life. Additionally, that loss of power and control —particularly…

In July, 2021, we raised alarms about proposed legislation to create a Certification Board for Peer Specialists. (You can see details of that alert here: http://tiny.cc/PSBOD) The legislation came as a surprise to many people across the state, and we never could quite pin down why it was happening. It now seems clear that the…

The Wildflower Alliance stands in solidarity and support of the family and community of Miguel Estrella, 22, who was killed by Pittsfield police on Friday.  Witnesses say that just before being tased twice and then shot, Miguel was walking slowly, non threateningly, toward police officers holding a knife. A little earlier, officers had confronted Miguel…

In 2015, Jeffrey Lieberman—infamous psychiatrist who briefly headed up the American Psychiatric Association (APA) — memorably called Robert Whitaker (investigative journalist and founder of Mad in America) a “menace to society.” Whitaker apparently earned that title for essentially shedding light on so much corruption in the mental health system. One month later, psychologist and author,…

We are living through some extraordinarily challenging times. The pandemic, police brutality, and now, the potential beginnings of another World War courtesy of the devastating Russian invasion of the Ukraine, are streaming across our devices  like never before. The impact on our emotional well-being has been profound. COVID deaths near the million mark in the United…

By Sera Davidow, Wildflower Alliance DirectorOn January 9th, 2022, Orlando Taylor III was shot and killed by police in Springfield, Massachusetts. When we first wrote about what happened, video had yet to be released of the incident. Not too long after – amidst calls for transparency – the video was made available. But just 49 seconds of said video…

An open letter to Mayor Domenic Sarno and Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood re: the Shooting Death of Orlando Taylor on January 9, 2022

There is a growing trend in Massachusetts: Meetings and committees forming to regulate peer support roles where people who have substantive experience working in peer roles are either dramatically under represented or not represented at all. It’s not so much that it’s new that people who have no psychiatric history, and no peer support experience…

Amherst – Not Bread Alone Soup Kitchen offers a community meal on Thanksgiving Day, in addition to weekend and Wednesday meals. Anyone and everyone is welcome to be part of the holiday celebration, or any other meal! Located on the lower level of the First Congregational Church. 413-548-1271. 165 Main Street.Chicopee – Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen offers a Thanksgiving community meal at…

By Caty Simon, September 2020 Low-income sex workers have suffered enormously during the pandemic. An in-person industry which consists of being in intimate contact with others by definition is one most customers are justifiably unlikely to patronize for fear of infection. CARES Act benefits are hard to access for sex workers with complicated financial lives…

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on so many people across our country and across the world. However, relatively few are considering the impact of the pandemic on several of our communities’ already most marginalized groups. This includes individuals living without homes. As just about every company promotes messages about “staying safe at home”…

“I never heard from my outreach workers and DMH worker about this change until last week because they were told not to talk about it to clients.” – Person receiving DMH services on June 21, 2018 (10 days before ACCS went into effect) A few weeks ago, we sent out a special e-newsletter inviting people…

ACCS replaces CBFS in July in Massachusetts, but what on earth does that mean? Some years back mental health residential services were reconfigured and became Community Based Flexible Services (CBFS). Now, CBFS is ending, and in its place, Adult Community Clinical Services (ACCS) has moved in. But what is ACCS?: According to the Massachusetts Department…

According to the Mental Health First Aid website it is an eight hour course that “teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use             disorders in your community.” It is geared particularly toward first responders, family, and others in the community who don’t typically offer support to people…

On June 5, Kate Spade, a famous American fashion designer, reportedly took her own life. Only a few days later on June 8, Anthony Bourdain, a celebrity chef and author, died by suicide, too. And, on that very same day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data suggesting that suicide rates have…

If you haven’t heard news of Roseanne’s Tweet about Valerie Jarret (a black woman born in Iran who served as   Barrack Obama’s senior advisor)… Well, then you’re probably not reading this either. A brief summary: On May 29, Roseanne Barr Tweeted the following: “Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj.” There was…

Just a handful of miles south of us in Connecticut, one of the largest investigations of abuse by an institution of individuals with psychiatric histories is currently underway.   As of just a few days ago, 37 employees at Whiting Forensic have now been suspended as a part of investigations of abuse, with nine of…

Massachusetts is one of five states that still don’t have Involuntary Outpatient Laws in place. But how long will that last?   On July 11, people gathered at the State House in Boston at a hearing to seek community input on several pieces of legislation currently being proposed. These included a proposal from Representative Mathew…

Check out Sun Magazine’s April 2017 issue, featuring an article, “An Open Mind’ by Tracy Frisch, and featuring the Western Mass RLC’s Director, Sera Davidow.   It will be available in April at www.thesunmagazine.org/ and at newsstands where the magazine is sold.

We’re excited to share that the Western Mass RLC has made some high profile appearances in the mainstream media this past month!   August 8th, the New York Times: “An Alternative Form of Mental Health Care Gains a Foothold” by Benedict Carey. It appeared in print and on-line on Tuesday, August 8, and featured some…

Check out this new article in Foreign Policy featuring the RLC’s own Marty Hadge and Caroline White, and our Hearing Voices work. (We don’t love the title, but there’s lots of good information in the piece.)   CLICK HERE to read it!   The Radical Movement Redefining Schizophrenia: “People with unquiet minds are locked up,…

In a world where so many of us can agree that human connection is essential to emotional health and healing, there is a growing trend to try and create artificial intelligence that can take the place of (or at least fill in for) all that.   Chatbots and other forms of ‘artificial intelligence’ are showing…

‘Shared Decision Making’ is taking up a lot of space in system conversations as the next ‘hot new thing’, but there’s a lot to think about whenever taking on a new ‘next thing’. For example: Is it really changing things or just repackaging the same old stuff? If it really is making a change, is…

Mental Health America (MHA) just released the first ever national certification for Peer Specialists, and we want you to understand why that is terrible news.   First, although Mental Health America bills themselves as an advocacy organization, they do not speak for, nor are they run by individuals who have first hand experience receiving services…

There has been a recent trend of attempting to diagnose Donald Trump as ‘severely mentally ill’. Some are using it as an opportunity to make fun of him. For example, Andy Borowitz published a ‘satirical’ piece in the New Yorker about Trump hearing voices: “Trump Accuses Media of Not Reporting Voices He Hears in Head”….

In 2015, the state of Massachusetts added a 6th ‘Fundamental Right’ to the five that were already in existence (click here to read about the other 5). All six Fundamental Rights apply only in the state of Massachusetts, and only to facilities (hospitals, group homes, etc.) where people live or stay and that are contracted,…

On Wednesday, June 15, the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously voted to approve a reviewed version of the ‘Murphy Bill’ (also known as the ‘Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act’ or HR 2646). This does not bode well, as it brings the Murphy Bill dangerously close to becoming law. Fortunately, some of the…

On Thursday, June 4, 2015 the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act was re-introduced by Representative Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania. It is also known as H.R. 2646 or, perhaps most commonly, as the ‘Murphy Bill.’ Although it is claimed that the second version of this Bill contains several compromises, it seems just as bad…

On Thursday, June 4, 2015 the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act was re-introduced by Representative Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania. It is also known as H.R. 2646 or, perhaps most commonly, as the ‘Murphy Bill.’ Although it is claimed that the second version of this Bill contains several compromises, it seems just as bad…

Massachusetts is one of the last states (alongside our neighbors in Connecticut) to not have a formal ‘outpatient commitment’ law (often referred to as ‘AOT’ or Assisted Outpatient Treatment in the media). These laws can be extremely far reaching in how they applied. For example, a person can be ‘sentenced’ to this kind of forced…

Forced Outpatient Commitment (commonly referred to as ‘Assisted Outpatient Treatment’ or ‘AOT’) is a type of law allowing for individuals to be forced to take psychiatric medications, attend therapy, etc. against their will, even when living in the community. Massachusetts is currently one of only a small handful of states that have refused to implement…

In Massachusetts, there is a law called the ‘Five Fundamental Rights’. This law was implemented in 1998 as an amendment to the existing Massachusetts mental health laws. These rights are applicable to all residences and facilities that are operated, licensed or contracted by the Department of Mental Health (all psychiatric hospitals and residential programs, etc.)….

People who have experienced psychiatric diagnosis, been hospitalized, or overcome other major life challenges and who now work or are connected to peer support communities often see themselves as a part of a movement. We’ve heard that movement be called everything from a ‘peer movement,’ to a ‘recovery movement’ to a ‘consumer’ or ‘c/s/x movement.’…

1. You don’t need to go to a Social Security office to get income verification information: Social Security offices are busy and have less staff than in the past. As a result, they WANT you to have other ways to get the information you need. Here’s the easiest way to get your info: Go to www.ssa.gov…

Talking About Suicide by RLC Advocate, Currie Murphy Appeared originally in the Greenfield Recorder, 8/29/14   For me, it’s hard to believe that people can’t sit with the word “suicide”, and I often find myself asking them why it is so hard? Usually I am met with resistance and anger or a befuddled look on…

Do people staying in Department of Mental Health (DMH) programs (residential programs, DMH beds in respite, etc.) have a right to their personal belongings?The short answer is, ‘Yes.’ Nonetheless, we’ve heard multiple stories of people losing access (or having access substantially limited) to their personal belongings in the last week alone. When we hear these sorts…

Artist’s Reception Friday, October 25th, 6-8pm 74 Federal Street, Greenfield Featuring the works of our local artists, Andy Grant and Jessica Star   Light refreshments served! For more info, call 413.772.0715 And While You’re in the Area… While you’re visiting us for the art reception, consider stopping in next door at the RPX (One Osgood…

There’s no such thing as ‘TAY.’ Well, okay, that’s not entirely true. Apparently, Tay is a river running through parts of Scotland. Tay also seems to be the name of a skincare line. There’s even a Tay Township in Canada. But what on earth is ‘TAY’ in the context of the American mental health system?…

  Thursday, October 24th, 7 – 9pm @ Mount Holyoke College, Reese Building, Room 302 South Hadley  Join Peter Bullimore for a talk that includes both personal narrative and strategies for supporting people who are experiencing voices and paranoia. Free & Open to the public!  About Peter: Peter operates his own training/consultant agency, Asylum Associates,…

SPECIAL NOTICE:   The public hearing on forced outpatient commitment has been scheduled as follows:   Tuesday, October 22nd at 9am (PLEASE NOTE UPDATED TIME) @ the State House in Boston, room A-1   ALL RLC-SPONSORED MEETINGS AND GROUPS WILL BE CANCELLED (unless otherwise noted) & ALL CENTERS WILL BE CLOSED TO SUPPORT PEOPLE ATTENDING…

Advocates, Inc. was founded in 1975 on the grounds of Westborough State Hospital. At that time, they were made up of a group of volunteers who were providing rehabilitative services. As of 2013, Advocates has become one of the largest human services organizations in the state.  They employ over 1000 staff members and serve over…

  Last month, during a break at a ‘Withdrawing from Medication’ workshop we held in Holyoke, someone approached one of us to express disappointment that so few people came to an RLC outreach presentation at the provider agency where that person worked. She explained that lots of clinicians show up at pharmaceutical presentations because they…

In December, 2012, we printed an article called ‘Mandated Reporter: A Common Misconception,’ in which we discussed the true definition of ‘Mandated Reporter,’ as well as the common misunderstandings around the who/what/why/where of mandated reporting responsibilities. However, the article was brief, and since that time we’ve heard of many instances where people have continued to…

Originally published in the RLC Newsletter, April, 2013   The length of time it takes for a bill to be proposed and passed into law can vary tremendously, but here’s some information about the basic framework: New bills must be proposed on or before the 3rd Friday of January in odd numbered years The House and…

Originally published in the RLC Newsletter, May, 2012   So, hey, most of us know that the Western Mass Recovery Learning Community is a peer-run organization for people with “lived-experience” with extreme mental or emotional states. But can I tell you all my preferred emphasis for that little elevator speech catch phrase? It is: PEOPLE….

Originally published in RLC Newsletter, September, 2012   Did you know that according to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 123, Section 23, you have five fundamental rights that apply any time you are receiving services from any program or hospital unit that is operated by, licensed by or contracting with the Department of Mental Health?? (This…

Originally published in the RLC Newsletter, October, 2012 The Right to Smoke? At this point, we all know the risks of smoking. We’ve heard about (and perhaps seen play out) the link to cancer and a variety of other health issues. We’re aware of the highly addictive nature of nicotine. Many of us also know…

Originally published in the RLC Newsletter, December, 2012   There is a popular misunderstanding that ‘mandated reported’ means that you are mandated by law to report if someone is talking about hurting themselves or someone else. This is not true. ‘Mandated reporter’ refers to the legal requirement of many professions and organizations to report observed…

Originally published in the RLC Newsletter, June, 2012   According to www.dictionary.com, the word ‘peer’ is defined as follows: “a person who is equal to another in abilities, qualifications, age, background, and social status.” By that definition and as it has boiled down in our world to its most common usage, most of us have…

Originally published in the RLC Newsletter, July, 2010   Society puts a tremendous amount of   pressure on us to look and be a certain way. As a result, many of us can be very unkind to ourselves. We criticize our bodies, call ourselves names, or focus on the many ways in which we’re not good…

Originally published in the RLC newsletter, February, 2013 Food Police?   “Donuts saved my life. You can quote me on that!” “Raw carrots almost sent me to the hospital once.” “Wheat bread is the worst thing I can eat.” “A diet high in fruits and veggies makes me unbelievably sick.” “Have you heard about that…

 Originally published in the RLC Newsletter, March 2013   44 states in the US currently have outpatient commitment laws in place. They are often referred to as ‘Assisted Outpatient Treatment’ or AOT, though they also go by other names (e.g., Kendra’s Top 5 Biggest Concerns with AOT laws: 1.It will lead to many human rights…

Originally published in the RLC Newsletter, March, 2013 Questions about who is ‘anti’ come up fairly frequently in our community. That is, who is anti-psychiatry, anti-medication, anti-medical model and so on. Which group, which person, which community is just flatly against another perspective or approach? The questions get asked, and often the accusations fly.  Given…

Originally published in the RLC Newsletter, January, 2013   In a recent Newsletter, we printed an article that talked a bit about the meaning of the word ‘peer’  (original article available here); the definition of ‘peer’ seems to be shifting away from one that is based on relationships with others, and toward a replacement for ‘consumer’…

Originally published in the RLC Newsletter, April, 2013   People who are hospitalized in any DMH-operated or contracted adult inpatient unit are now entitled to keep their electronic devices with them. Electronic devices can include: Cell phones (including smart phones) iPods and MP3 players iPads or other tablet devices Laptops or personal computers Any other…

Originally published in the Western Mass RLC’s Newsletter, May, 2013   Asking People to Leave Their Residences During the Day: A Human Rights Violation? It can be deceptively easy to fall into patterns, and do as we have done, without always taking the time to wonder why.   However, in an era of mental health…

There has been a relative explosion of ‘peer’ roles in the last five years in Massachusetts. In many organizations, peer roles came to be developed largely because contracts began to require them (though many of these same organizations were already contemplating how to make that move of their own volition, and some had already begun…

Asking People to Leave Their Residences During the Day: A Human Rights Violation? It can be deceptively easy to fall into patterns, and do as we have done, without always taking the time to wonder why.   However, in an era of mental health services where ‘person centered’ and ‘recovery-oriented’ approaches make up some of…

People who are hospitalized in any DMH-operated or contracted adult inpatient unit are now entitled to keep their electronic devices with them. Electronic devices can include: Cell phones (including smart phones) iPods and MP3 players iPads or other tablet devices Laptops or personal computers Any other device (whether or not it is Wi-Fi compatible) This…