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 […]
Articles
The RLC produces a newsletter each and every month that offers monthly calendars, announcements and articles. Although old newsletters are archived on the website, the articles - often on important advocacy-related issues - run the risk of being buried and difficult to find. In an attempt to make that information more accessible, we still also list RLC-published articles from the newsletter (and other relevant sources) here for your ease and perusal.
Western Mass Holiday Meals and Volunteer Opportunities
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, […]
Low-Income Sex Work In The Era of COVID-19
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 […]
Homelessness During COVID-19
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 […]
SPECIAL REPORT: ACCS Survey Results
“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 […]
A New Model Begins: Adult Community Clinical Services
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). […]
The Problem with ‘Mental Health First Aid’
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 […]
The Problem with Saying Suicide is Caused by Depression
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, […]
The Problem with Suggesting that Racism is Caused by ‘Mental Illness’
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 […]
Did You Know? Abuse at Whiting Forensic
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 […]
Force in Massachusetts
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 […]
Sun Magazine features RLC Voices
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 […]