Programs & Services

Access to Justice Project - The National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU)

The Access to Justice Project aims at promoting access to legal redress for persons with disabilities in Uganda. The project is developed on the premise that for many years, People with disables have had no access to justice and where they have had it has been hard to come by due to challenges involved such as lack of resources given the high levels of poverty among people with disabilities. Besides many PWDS are ignorant of their rights a situation that makes them more vulnerable. This project envisages creating awareness in regard to access to justice by PWDs as well as provides legal representation for PWDs in matters affecting them. The objectives of the project are to:

• ncrease PWDs awareness on access to justice
• Influence legal reforms
• Strengthen NUDIPU’s Monitoring and Evaluation system on legal aid needs of PWDs.

Advocacy - Bezelon Center for Mental Health Law

The Bazelon Center works to ensure that national policy is informed by the on the ground knowledge gained from their casework. Thei advocacy agenda reflects the most pressing issues for people with disabilities on Capitol Hill and across the United States. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was one of the biggest expansions of mental health services in the history and we work to defend the coverage and service gains made.  The Bazelon Center has also spent decades reforming health systems and expanding access to needed mental health services-proposed cuts or changes to Medicaid are of great concern to the Bazelon Center, as millions of individuals with mental disabilities rely on Medicaid for healthcare and other services.

Advocacy - Mindfreedom International

Mindfreedom have mapped a number of advocay activities in the mental helalth consumer movement. These include:

• Court ruling on Illinois warehoused psychiatric inmates: Federal Court Advances Challenge to Illinois Policy Warehousing Residents Labeled with Mental Illnesses

• Psychiatric Advance Directives: “Advance directives” on mental health topics can sometimes help prevent forced psychiatric treatment, but too often the psychiatric industry is allowed to override these documents.

• US Supreme Court on Freedom of Mind and Irrational Thought: a couple of brief quotes in US Supreme Court rulings about how the First Amendment guarantees freedom of thought and freedom of mind, even to have so-called “irrational” beliefs.

• Information about Illinois court case regarding “deterioration” standard: an Illinois court struck down a commitment from 2008.

• Advocacy to Encourage More Openness at US Mental Health Agency (SAMHSA)

Advocacy - Consumers of Mental Health Western Australia (CoMHWA)

CoMHWA is a systemic advocacy organisation that advances the rights and interests of people with lived experience. Our work includes member-based consultations and campaigns, and advocating for consumer rights and interests to politicians, government and services.  We also work with and assist lived experience groups and leaders at a local and regional level to help bring about change. 

• Self-advocacy: Helping people to feel informed and confident to speak up for their own rights and interests;
• Individual advocacy: Assisting individuals to speak up for their personal rights and interests. Individual advocacy is when a person is helped to speak up about their rights and interests, such as through information and advice about their situation, help with writing letters or going to meetings, or having someone speak up on their behalf. Unfortunately, CoMHWA is unable to provide individual advocacy services, however we can point you in the directions of organisations who provide this service.
• Systemic advocacy: Collective advocacy to speak up and solve the issues that impact many people’s lives. Systemic advocacy is when a group of people work together to advance their collective rights and interests, such as by campaigning and speaking with politicians and the government. CoMHWA’s work lies mainly around improving the lives of people with a lived experience of mental health distress by advising on systems, attitudes, laws and rules in Western Australia. 

Advocacy Action Centre - American Psychiatric Association (APA)

The Advocacy Action Centre highlights the advocacy campaigns of the American Psychiatric Association (APA)

Advocacy Organisations - National Mental Health Consumer's Self-Help Clearinghouse

Advocacy organizations vary in focus and may include:

• Individuals getting what they need from mental health and other systems or providers
• Creating change and shifting resources at the local level to better serve consumers and the public.
• Working to counter the effects of stigma, discrimination and the negative stereotypes of people with mental illnesses.
• Moving governmental systems forward
• Supporting civil rights through legislative or policy advocacy.

Advocacy, Research and Campaign (ARC) - Anjali

Anjali works with a population that is resource poor. In hospitals they are dispossessed and in communities they do not have access to much resources. Thus, much of our work goes in ensuring absolute needs, i.e, basic human survival- water, food, shelter, sanitation, medical care. While this is a crucial and continuous part of our work, we also need to focus, with equal emphasis, on the finer aspects of human/social living, which are relative needs. These include equal opportunities, well-being, equal status before the law, meaningful employment, social justice and human dignity. That is the only way we can build social capital in communities and leadership in hospitals.

• Legal advocacy
• Legislative advocacy
• System advocacy
• Self-advocacy

Alternatives and Human Rights in Mental Health - Mindfreedom International

Events related to alternatives & human rights in mental health are conferences, meetings, congresses, gatherings related to the topics of human rights in mental health. 

• Are We Mad? Critical Perspectives on the Canadian Mental Health System 
• Recovery from Psychosis: Healing through Relationship with keynote by Ron Bassman  
• International Conference on Self-Determination: the conference organizers announced: “International perspectives on progressive notions of mental health recovery, family supports, community membership, ending forced impoverishment and system change requirements will be part of the focus of the conference. The meetings will feature leaders from across disability and aging and relate the efforts being made across the world to make freedom a reality for individuals with disabilities.”
• David Oaks Lecture on the Mad Pride Movement: a free lecture by David Oaks at Harvard University.
• An Evening with David Oaks
• Petaluma Progressive Festival 
• Flyer for David Oaks Lecture
• PsychOUT: A Conference for Organizing Resistance Against Psychiatry: Toronto conference includes variety of speakers, workshops, plus protest about electroshock. David W. Oaks, Director of MindFreedom International, is one of the speakers.
• Celia Brown Moderates Panel on Mental Health, UN and Human Rights: on Human Rights Day, the Celia Brown will moderate and participate in a panel in United Nations Plaza about human rights and mental health.

Anjali's Voices Program - Anjali

Anjali's Voices program is based inside four government mental hospitals in West Bengal, namely, Calcutta Pavlov Hospital, Lumbini Park Mental Hospital, Behrampore Mental Hospital and Institute of Mental Care, Purulia in order to fight stagnant and regressive systems to bring about systemic changes in the framework. Aims include:

• Human rights and person-centric treatment of persons living with psychosocial disability.
• Propels every individual languishing inside mental hospitals towards citizenship.
• Works on healing as well as enhancing the capacity of the residents using various mediums of DMT, art, music, drama, yoga and other sessions.
• Equips participants on livelihood skills aiming towards self-sufficiency & economic independence.
• Promotes and facilitates reintegration of recovered residents and social inclusion.
• Does thorough advocacy with government departments, hospital authorities and staff, caregivers of residents and other stakeholders.

APA Advocacy Alerts - American Psychiatric Association (APA)

APA Advocacy Alerts signs up to receive advocacy alerts and get the most up-to-date resources and tools to take action on legislation impacting psychiatry.

APA Political Action Committee (APAPAC) - American Psychiatric Association (APA)

APA Political Action Committee (APAPAC) is the political arm of APA. Thdeir voice on Capitol Hill and how we get mental health champions elected to the U.S. Congress.

Criminal Justice - Bezelon Center for Mental Health Law

The Bazelon Center aims to end incarceration of individuals with mental illness by diverting them away from jails and into community-based programs.

Current Legislation - California Association of Mental Health Peer-Run Organizations (CAMHPRO)

Disability Justice - Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority

Trust beneficiaries are at increased risk for involvement with the criminal justice system, both as victims and defendants, due to their disabilities as well as deficiencies in the community treatment and support systems. Hundreds of beneficiaries each year are incarcerated for their safety because adequate service alternatives do not exist. Thousands more are arrested for offenses resulting from behaviors associated with symptoms of their mental disorders. The disability justice focus area is aimed at reducing the involvement and recidivism of Trust beneficiaries in the criminal justice system. The Trust’s board of trustees has directed significant funding and staff resources towards criminal justice reform efforts in Alaska to address this and other justice related issues affecting beneficiaries, including reducing the involvement and recidivism of Trust beneficiaries in the criminal justice system as well as preventing the victimization of beneficiaries. The Trust uses the Sequential Intercept Model as the foundation for making funding allocations and policy decisions. The overall goals are:

• Developing criminal justice and community behavioral health partnerships;
• Civerting trust beneficiaries from the criminal justice system; and,
• Maintaining public safety by improving the health of beneficiaries and Alaska communities.
• Below are the SIM intercepts where strategies and Trust supported activities are employed to achieve the goals above:
• Systems and Policy Development
• Increased Capacity, Training and Competencies
• Community Prevention
• Community Intervention/Diversion
• Booking and Screening Practices
• In-facility Practices
• Re-entry
• Community Aftercare

Dorothea Dix Think Tank Fund - The Foundation for Excellence in Mental Health Care

The Dorothea Dix Think Tank Fund aims to change the process by which people with mental illness enter jails and prisons and by creating alternatives to incarcerating people with mental illness The Dorothea Dix Think Tank was created by Dr. Dean Brooks to decriminalize mental illness. Dr.  Brooks, former superintendent of the Oregon State Hospital best known for his role in the film, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, assembled a panel of experts in mental health and the law to discuss and recommend solutions for what has become a national scandal. The fund has brought together a panel of recognized experts who have “hands on” experience both in mental health and our justice system.

Education - Bezelon Center for Mental Health Law

The Bazelon Center work to ensure that every student, whether in preschool, elementary, middle, or high school, or if attending college or university, receive the services and supports needed for success. Developing cases following the Supreme Court’s decision in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District RE-1 that focus on advancing positive interpretations of the IDEA, to require schools to provide special education to students with disabilities in regular classrooms in neighborhood schools, so that these students learn and achieve; and to apply the ADA to public school systems, to ensure that public schools provide equal educational opportunities to children with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate – for virtually all children, a regular classroom in a neighborhood school.

Employment - Bezelon Center for Mental Health Law

The Bazelon Center fights employment discrimination and works to ensure that employers provide the accommodations to which people with mental illnesses are guaranteed. For those whose mental illness presents a significant barrier to employment, they also advocate for supported employment.

Ethics & Mental Health - Mindfreedom International

Mindfreedom provides information in Ethics and Mental Health. Resources include:

• Swiss Court Ruling Allows Euthanasia For Mentally Ill: a ruling by Switzerland’s highest court has opened up the possibility that people with serious mental illnesses could be helped by doctors to take their own lives.
• Revealing Quotes on the Goals of Psychiatry and Psychology: this web site has quotes critical of psychiatry’s views on everything ranging from conservatives, education, religion, creating a slave society, world government, to morality and families. An example: “The reduction of intelligence is an important factor in the curative process… The fact is that some of the very best cures that one gets are in those individuals whom one reduces almost to amentia (feeble-mindedness)…” Dr. Abraham Myerson, Harvard Psychiatrist, 1942
• Psychiatry residents often skip informed consent: an investigation into the practices of 108 psychiatry residents revealed an excessively passive approach to informed consent discussions with patients. Asked to participate in hypothetical clinical vignettes, only 3% of the students managed to provide responses that met the criteria for adequate informed consent.
• Psychiatry and Freedom: 11th International Conference for Philosophy and Mental Health International Network of Philosophy and Psychiatry

Family Council - The Royal Mental Health Care

Family Council are family members supporting inpatients and outpatients at The Royal. They advocate for systemic improvements to the care and overall experience of both clients and families at The Royal. For example, we work to improve discharge planning and transitions to community living, issues that affect both clients and, frequently, their families as well. They are also responsible for the Welcome Families & Friends displays on the units and in outpatient waiting areas where you can find information and resources for families. THey act as a resource for staff, families and the community, and work collaboratively with the Client Advisory Council. They speak for families on committees and focus groups, both within and outside of The Royal. 

Forced Drugging Defense Package - Mindfreedom International

The Forced Drugging Defense Package developed by the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights for the MindFreedom Shield program. The Forced Drugging Defense Package is built around the written expert testimony of Grace E. Jackson, MD, and the award winning author of Mad in America, Robert Whitaker, which PsychRights has successfully used to stop forced drugging in one of its cases.

he Integrated Forensic Program (IFP) - The Royal Mental Health Care

The Royal provides specialized services for assessment and treatment of adults with mental illnesses who have come into conflict with the criminal justice system under one umbrella, called .

The IFP provides specialized services in assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and community reintegration of adults 18 years and older who may be (or have been found) unfit to stand trial as well as adults who may be (or have been found) not criminally responsible by the court on account of mental illness. Additionally, the Family Court Clinic conducts court-ordered assessments for youth in conflict with the law and provides psychiatric consultation to the Youth Mental Health Court.

The Forensic Program operates at three sites: Forensic Services for the Southeast Region, Forensic Services for the Champlain Region and a Secure Treatment Unit in Brockville that serves the province of Ontario. Each offers varying levels of security, supervision and privileges within structured treatment environments and each works to create a therapeutic milieu of supportive care that promotes safe reintegration into the community.

The IFP also manages specialty clinics, located at The Royal, that include a Sexual Behaviours Clinic, Family Court Clinic and Anger Disorders Clinic.

The range of mental health services offered by the IFP are numerous and include violence prevention; risk management; court diversion; pre-trial assessment and treatment; inpatient services; mental health courts; day treatment; case management; transitional housing and outpatient and community consultation services.

The program also has an active and on-going research component in order to increase its understanding of issues and to better help patients. The Forensic Research Unit is associated with The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research affiliated with the University of Ottawa. Research is externally funded and peer-reviewed. Assessment and treatment of problematic sexual behaviours and aggression, as well as areas of mental health adjustment among forensic patients are currently being investigated.

Like many of the programs at The Royal the Integrated Forensic Program specializes in providing interdisciplinary treatment teams that consist of professionals from the fields of psychiatry, psychology, social work, nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, addiction counseling, vocational rehabilitation, pharmacy and recreation therapy as well as input from dietary, chaplaincy and education. The team develops individualized treatment plans to optimize risk management, patient mental health and well-being, that is consistent with public safety and within the limits of their defined dispositions.

Let’s look at what the IFP offers at each site.

Forensic Services – Southeast Region

This site operates 61 inpatient beds, located at the Brockville Mental Health Centre. Inpatient services include secure assessment and treatment, active forensic rehabilitation, and transition care for community reintegration. Outpatient services include outreach support and supervision programs for individuals throughout eastern Ontario.

Forensic Services – Champlain Region

The IFP Champlain, located at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, has two units with a total of 43 inpatient beds. The Secure Assessment Unit focuses on acute care, pre- and post-trial assessment and treatment. The Secure Rehabilitation and Community Unit provides short to medium term rehabilitation, illness management and recovery programming.

General Forensic Outpatient Services offers assessment, treatment, consultation, group and individual therapy, vocational assessment and referral, case management and outreach nursing, day treatment and support and referral.

Secure Treatment Unit

This facility is a medium secure 100-bed correctional hybrid centre and mental health centre located at the Brockville Mental Health Centre and is a one-of-a kind in Canada. The Secure Treatment Unit serves 30 other provincial correctional facilities from across Ontario. The facility was created when The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services contracted The Royal to provide secure assessment, treatment and discharge planning to adult male offenders who have been provincially sentenced and have been diagnosed with a mental illness.

In keeping with The Royal’s interdisciplinary treatment protocol, teams at the Secure Treatment Unit provide specialized assessment and treatment in the areas of sex offending, dysfunctional anger, trauma disorders and a range of psychosocial rehabilitation modules that address individual resident needs. Throughout their time at this facility, patient treatment focuses on reduced recidivism that ultimately leads to ensuring successful reintegration into the community.

Specialty Clinics

Under the IFP, The Royal also offers three specialty clinics that are directed to individuals who either are (or could be at risk of being) in conflict with the criminal justice system. They include a Sexual Behaviours Clinic, Family Court Clinic and Anger Disorders Clinic.

The Sexual Behaviours Clinic offers services specifically for those who have been or are at risk of being in conflict with the law because of their sexual behaviour. The clinic’s goal are to provide assessment and treatment in order to manage the sexual behaviour-related problems, reduce symptom distress, as well as to increase psychosocial skills and coping strategies. Through treatment at this clinic, practitioners seek to improve overall patient well-being in order to maintain successful community living. Over the longer term, desired outcomes include reduced recidivism, prevention of hospital admissions and eventual discharge from the forensic program. Through this clinic, support is also available for the spouses and partners of individuals who have been or are at risk of being in conflict with the law because of their sexual behaviour. 

To access this service, please print out this form and ask your doctor to fill it out and send it in (if you do not have a doctor, you can ask a doctor at a walk-in clinic). If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Murphy by email or phone at 613-722-6521 ext. 6374. 

The Family Court Clinic provides assessment for courts involving children and youth in matters that pertain to the Child and Family Services Act, as well as the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The Royal’s Anger Disorders Clinic offers specialized comprehensive assessments, consultations, treatment and management of individuals that have anger-related problems, whether or not they are in conflict with the law.

Youth Forensic Psychiatry at The Royal

The Royal plays an important role when youth are found to be in conflict with the law and enter the criminal justice system. The Family Court Clinic, offered through The Royal’s Integrated Forensic Program, is primarily responsible for providing court-ordered assessments for youth between the ages of 12 and 18. Assessments of ‘fitness to stand trial’ and of ‘criminal responsibility’ are undertaken by the Family Court Clinic to help inform the Court about the influence of mental health, behavioural, psychosocial and family-related problems upon a young person in conflict with the law.

The assessments include recommendations for interventions and treatment options that could be implemented in order to address the young person’s specific needs and help reduce the risk of recidivism. A multidisciplinary team comprised of a psychiatrist, psychological associate/psychologist and social worker conduct the assessment. The process includes a psychiatric assessment of the young person, interviews with the parent, guardian or parent-figure, psychological evaluations and other specific assessments or investigations of the young person as well as gathering of information from collateral professional sources with the consent of the parties involved. The final report, which is subject to confidentiality and disclosure stipulations, is released to the presiding judge.

The Family Court Clinic also provides psychiatric consultation services to the Youth Mental Health Court. An accused young person may enter this court if, in the opinion of the Crown, a mental disorder was a central feature of the case and the accused youth would benefit from the unique sentencing approaches available through the Youth Mental Health Court. The Youth Mental Health Court’s primary objectives include the facilitation of improved access to community mental health treatment services and positive outcomes for accused young persons with mental illness.

To contact the Forensic Treatment Unit (Southeast), please call the Brockville Mental Health Centre at 613.345.1461. Information about the Forensic Treatment Unit (Champlain) can be obtained by contacting the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre at 613.722.6521. To learn more about the Integrated Forensic Program Secure Treatment Unit, please call 613.341.2870.

The Ontario Review Board (ORB) conducts annual reviews of the status of every person who has been found to be not criminally responsible or who is unfit to stand trial for criminal offences due to a mental disorder. Information on the ORB can be found on its website at: www.orb.on.ca

Research initiatives and activities currently underway through the Forensic Research Unit can be found here.

Human Rights Advocacy for Marginalised Disabilities in Uganda Project - The National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU)

Human Rights Advocacy for Marginalised Disabilities in Uganda Project aims at improving the standard of living for marginalised disabilities by working for the equalisation of opportunities, respect for human rights and full participation in development programmes. The project operates in the three district of Nakasongola, Luwero and Ntungamo. It targets The Little people, Albino, Deaf blind, and persons with psychosocial disabilities. Its objectives are to enhance capacity of marginalised disabilities to effectively advocate for their rights

Janamanas - Anjali

Janamanas is Anjali’s flagship community mental health initiative. The program was initiated to de-institutionalize mental health services and make it available, affordable, and accessible to marginalised sections of the community. The program works in partnership with Municipalities by creating a cadre of women from self help groups into barefoot mental health professionals. Objectives of Janamanas include:

• Creation of a community safety net for last mile communities to secure mental well-being for all, especially women.
• Building safe, informed and empathetic community spaces for the women, by the women that ensure the rights and wellbeing of persons living with psycho-social disability.

Janamanas shifts the paradigm of care from institutions to the community, and partners with citizens to identify and train local individuals to become change agents in the field of mental health. It de-stigmatizes and ‘normalizes’ mental health care through easy access to information, counselling or Talk-listen-talk model and referral services that are provided by approachable and empathetic para-professionals who are known and trusted within the community. It creates a eco-system that promote mental well-being, empowers women from community with limited formal education to become champions of mental health care which helps move mental health care services away from the bio-medical domination. Activities of Janamanas include:

• Counselling and Referral Service: In urban and peri-urban area there is a dearth of mental health support service for the resource poor community. The Janamanas program aims to bridge this gap by providing counselling and referral service to the community. The talk-listen talk counselling approach aims to address mental wellbeing, mental health issues that clients wishes to discuss at the safe space community centre. This service is provided against a nominal charge of 10-50 INR per client. The centre also provides referral services to the community, like help a client in applying for disability card, admission of a client in a rehab centre, mental health centre etc.
• Home Visits: There are times when a client is both physically and mentally unwell to come to the safe space centre for counselling sessions. The Kiosk or Centre Operators visits home of the clients, on request from the family members and for clients who are unable to visit the Kiosk.
• Linkages with local stakeholders: Janamanas program aims to develop linkages with local stakeholders like SHGs, Health workers, local administration, local Police stations, NGOs, clubs, schools and colleges, orphanage for strengthening the referral service and reaching out to the last mile community.
• Door to Door campaign: The Door to Door campaign are conducted to identify problem areas in the community that can affect one’s mental health, initiate discussion on mental wellbeing and promote services available from the safe space centre and to encourage health seeking behaviour of the community.
• Outreach Camp: Camps are organized ward wise where role plays and small group discussions are performed on mental wellbeing and to promote the services available from the Kiosk.
• Women’s Meet: Women’s meet is a quarterly event at the safe space centre where women and young girls from the community are invited at the centre to promote the centre as a ‘safe space for women’.
• Training and Capacity Building session: The Training program is critical for improving and the quality of services of Janamanas, empowering the community leaders and setting the team on a path to sustainability and set up an independent CBO.
• Annual Event: The program hosts annual events in various project sites to encourage community participation, awareness, and increase the program’s visibility and presence in a large scale.
• Family Meeting: A yearly meeting with family members of the barefoot community health workers are organized to encourage building a supportive and conductive home environment or them to continue working.
• Clients Meet: A yearly meeting with clients are organized to facilitate group bonding, peer support network, and mobilize better support within community.

Justice & Relief for Survivors of the Khmer Rouge - Transcultural Pychsosocial Organisation - Cambodia (TPO)

The Justice & Relief for Survivors of the Khmer Rouge is a comprehensive psychosocial ‘Justice and Relief for Survivors of the Khmer Rouge’ program. This program supports witnesses and civil parties during the proceedings at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) (Khmer Rouge Tribunal). Working in close cooperation with the Witness and Expert Support Unit (WESU) and the Victims Support Services (VSS) of the ECCC, we provide a variety of psychosocial services through our Cambodian mental health experts. These range from on-site psychological support before, during and after the ECCC proceedings, and trauma treatment, to community-based truth-telling and memorialization initiatives. Our project activities also aim to raise awareness of trauma, torture and mental health issues with the wider Cambodian population. With this project we aim to help trauma survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime, as well as their families and communities.

• On-Site Psychological Support during ECCC Legal Proceedings: TPO counselors provide on-site psychological support services for witnesses and civil parties at the ECCC. They help them reduce anticipatory anxiety through psychological briefing before the proceedings, monitor their emotional state and offer psychological support during the trial, and do debriefings with them after the proceedings.
• Psychological Services at the TPO Treatment Center: services at the TPO Treatment Center in Phnom Penh include supportive psychotherapy and counseling services by trained psychiatrists as well as psychiatric consultations and medical treatment if required.
• Testimonial Therapy:  a internationally recognized, pragmatic trauma treatment method that was specifically developed for the treatment of post-traumatic stress resulting from organized violence. It was first described by Lira and Weinstein in Chile and has since been tested in different socio‐cultural settings. TPO has been adapting this testimonial method by integrating traditional and religious practices in cooperation with local pagodas and Buddhist monks, reflecting the significance of traditional coping mechanisms in Cambodia’s spirit‐based culture. In testimonial therapy as applied by TPO, civil parties, all trauma survivors of the Khmer Rouge, are invited to talk about their traumatic experiences. With a counselor they restore their painful memories and convert them into a written testimony, which, in turn, is read aloud and delivered to the survivors by monks from a local pagoda in a Buddhist ceremony (or equivalent person in the local mosque, church, or temple depending on the client’s religious orientation) in presence of other survivors, relatives, community members, local authorities, government officials, NGO representatives, youth and others. This promotes the acknowledgement of suffering, the de‐stigmatization of survivors and restores their dignity. It also allows the survivors to ease the suffering of the spirits of ancestors and pay respect to deceased relatives.
• Phone Counseling: TPO’s phone counseling hotline is open to all Khmer Rouge survivors and their families and can be reached from 8am to 4pm during working days.
• Victim–Former Khmer Rouge Dialogue Pilot Project is a collaboration project between TPO and Kdei Karuna (www.kdei-karuna.org/program/vfkr/), aims to rebuild and understand the fragmented relationship between victims and their direct perpetrators. While calls have been made for reconciliation from the Cambodian government, victims themselves often wish to receive acknowledgement and an apology from their direct perpetrators. For perpetrators, overcoming cultural obstacles that hinder even the acknowledgement of crimes make an apology difficult to achieve. With the fundamental belief that a grassroots participatory approach is necessary to achieve this, TPO and the ‘International Center for Conciliation’ (ICfC) encourage project participants to define their needs, expectations, and roles within the process of this dialogue to fully engage them and their communities in addressing local needs for justice and healing. These activities have concluded and you can read our report ‘Victim – Former Khmer Rouge Dialogue Project’ to learn more about this. See more about this report at TPO Publications
• Radio Broadcasts: the project’s radio call-in-show aims to inform people about trauma and related psychological symptoms, which might resurface when remembering past events. Listeners learn about possible coping strategies, share experiences and express concerns and questions related to mental health. The radio show “Past in the Present” is hosted by an experienced TPO Counselor involved in the project and conducted monthly on Friday from 3-4 pm on FM 102 MHz and re-broadcast several times a month.
• Mental Health Training: TPO provides training courses and workshops for staff of the ECCC and non-governmental organizations. Participants learn about trauma, its after-effects and how they can reduce the psychological burden during legal procedures. Coping and self-care strategies help legal staff deal with emotional reactions and feelings of helplessness during the course of their work.
• Truth-Telling & Memorialization Initiatives: TPO advocates for and collaborates with local partners in truth-telling and memorialization activities as key components of the Cambodian transitional justice process. In cooperation with the Khmer Institute of Democracy (KID) and the International Centre for Conciliation (ICfC), TPO has completed the participatory film project “We Want (u) to Know”. Created via a participatory approach, Khmer Rouge survivors and their descendants designed, filmed and directed this documentary to share their stories with audiences around Cambodia and the world. More information on the film can be found here: http://www.we-want-u-to-know.com or http://www.facebook.com/wwu2k

Liaison and Diversion Services - Together - For Mental Health

Liaison and diversion services are designed to improve the health and justice outcomes for adults and children who come into contact with the youth and criminal justice systems where a range of complex needs are identified as factors in their offending behaviour. Delivering against NHS England’s National Liaison and Diversion Operating Model, our liaison and diversion practitioners assess the needs of vulnerable individuals in magistrates’ courts, crown courts and police custody settings, working closely with a wide range of partners to ensure that these individuals have access to the right health and social care services.

Criminal Justice Community Link Workers work alongside individuals throughout the criminal justice pathway to help them engage or re-engage with relevant services to tackle things like housing, addictions or debt, as well as their mental wellbeing. By helping people tackle the underlying causes of their offending, the likelihood of reoffending can be significantly reduced. They also prepare reports for court to give the judiciary vital information to help with decisions about bail and remand. This helps to avoid unnecessary prison disposals where bail decisions or a community sentence would be more appropriate, again giving individuals the best chance of breaking the cycle of offending. We also provide mental health awareness training to probation and other frontline criminal justice staff.

Media & Mental Health - Mindfreedom International

Medicaid Reform - Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority

The Trust shifts its focus and limited funding to other important needs in order to make additional improvements to the state’s comprehensive mental health program. In keeping with this proven formula, the Trust provided the transitional funding necessary to support the essential administrative infrastructure for Medicaid expansion enrollment. The goal is a redesigned and enhanced system of behavioral health services that fully encompasses health promotion, prevention, early intervention, appropriate treatment and the services and necessary supports to sustain a person in recovery.

Mental Health in All Policies - The Joint Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing (JA MH-WB)

Mental Health in All Policies in the Joint Action for Mental Health and Well-being is about how the policies of different sectors can have an impact on mental health. The focus of the working group is at identifying, evaluating and disseminating good population level practices on how to take mental health and wellbeing into account in decision making processes. The aim is to present in the end of 2015 a Framework for Mental Health in All Policies as a useful tool for Member States at different levels of governance (local, regional, national).

The work started in 2013 with a survey of good practices in 10 partner countries and the data collection was extended to other Member States in 2014. The data collection concentrated on getting information on intersectoral collaboration practices with all kinds of policy sectors (such as employment, environment, education, culture, etc.) In the autumn of 2014 the reported practices will be assessed and good policy level practices for exchange between Member States will be selected. In 2015 the evaluated good policy level practices will be introduced including strategies how to involve other sectors to get mental health and wellbeing issues into decision making processes. Good practices will, for instance, include tools for mainstreaming mental health issues, tools for mental health impact assessment of policy decisions and strategies to create collaboration with different sectors in mental health issues. From the early results it is emerging that conceptual clarity will be important in the implementation phase since the idea of Mental Health in All Policies is quite new and unknown in many sectors and countries. It is encouraging, however, that the attitudes towards the concept have been mainly positive and its value has been broadly supported.

The Mental Health in All Policies work package has developed four Policy Briefs that provide practical information on including mental health in education, labour, local authority and whole-of-government policies. Conference Conclusions for the Mental Health in All Policies – Supporting sustainability and growth in Europe, which was held 11-12 May 2015 in Helsinki, Finland, have also been produced in collaboration with the Finnish Ministry for Social Affairs and Health.

Mental Health System - Mindfreedom International

Mental Health Systems - Bezelon Center for Mental Health Law

The Bazelon Center has led efforts for the past 45 years to ensure that people with mental health needs have access to non-coercive community and evidence-based mental health services. As a major player in the mental disability rights movement in the mid-1970s, the Bazelon Center was able to secure a host of landmark court decisions that laid out requirements that are now firmly embedded as standard practice in mental health systems. The Bazelon Center was involved in vital legal precedents, including requirements for:

1. A factual basis beyond psychiatric diagnosis for civilly committing an individual to a hospital; (e.g., “danger to self or others”)
2. The right to legal representation and due process
3. Freedom from coercive or dangerous treatment (e.g., seclusion and restraint or brain surgery)
4. Access to meaningful health treatment and physical healthcare; and
5. Freedom from unnecessary confinement (i.e., “least-restrictive treatment”).

These hard-won rights spurred deinstitutionalization, whereby hundreds of thousands of individuals who had been consigned to custodial “back” wards of state hospitals were discharged to various community settings (including nursing homes and group homes) that were state-of-the-art at the time. Additionally, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has provided the Bazelon Center to advocate and build a mental health system that provides the necessary community services.

The Bazelon Center is working to ensure individuals with psychiatric disabilities at all income levels have access to the core set of community mental health services that will enable them to live and work independently in the community. People with mental disabilities should make their own life decisions. They should not be made by government or medical professionals. At the Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, we work to protect people’s autonomy, including their right to vote, participate in community life, and make choices about the care they receive

MFI Advocacy Handbook - Mind

MindFreedom published a comprehensive handbook for psychiatric survivors. This guide is intended to help survivors protect themselves and others from psychiatric harm as well as organize for human rights throughout the world.

MFI Advocacy Handbook - Mindfreedom International

MindFreedom published a comprehensive handbook for psychiatric survivors. This guide is intended to help survivors protect themselves and others from psychiatric harm as well as organize for human rights throughout the world.

Policy & Advocacy - The Mental Health Council of Tasmania

The Mental Health Council of Tasmania (MHCT) policy and advocacy work is based on consultation and engagement with the mental health sector, particularly with community-managed service providers and mental health consumers and carers, as well as through research and analysis. They aim to develop sound, evidence-based, and sustainable policy positions on issues that impact on people with mental illness and their carers. They advocate for our policy positions through a number of avenues including our annual budget submission and submissions to inquiries and through position papers and other reports, in meetings with decision-makers and contributions and statements to the media. Through these various approaches we aim to influence government and other decision-makers and to further public understanding of the issues facing the mental health sector and encourage discussion.

Promoting Gender Equality and Improving Access to Justice for Female Survivors and Victims of GBV under Khmer Rouge Regime - Transcultural Pychsosocial Organisation - Cambodia (TPO)

Promoting Gender Equality and Improving Access to Justice for Female Survivors and Victims of GBV under Khmer Rouge Regime is for females and survivors of gender based violence under Khmer Rouge Regime, who are Civil Parties of the ECCC, as well as other community members.

• Capacity building and strengthening
• Improving and strengthening trial attendance, legal literacy and gender knowledge
• Truth telling, awareness raising and advocacy
• Psychological intervention
• Awareness raising: provide training to legal professionals and support staff, provide training on Mental Health First Aid to community resource persons, TPO-Training to Community Resource People, raise awareness about gender based violence during Khmer Rouge Regime, Current GBV and psychosocial problems, conduct outreach to the community members
• Self Help Group: TPO runs Self-help group in different communities with female and survivors of GBV such as forced marriages, rape, and other forms during the Khmer Rouge Regime. Self help group aims to offer survivors of gender based violence a safe setting (proper place and safe environment) where they can share and reflect their experiences, allow emotional ventilation and learn more awareness of the body sensations related to trauma, encourage mutual support and trust among group members in dealing with individual and social consequences of violence, empower survivors to identify and articulate their needs and resources, provide psycho-education and teach self-help skills, provide information related to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC)
• Testimonial Therapy: TPO conducts Testimonial Therapy (TT) with survivors of gender based violence during Khmer Rouge Regime and concludes individual therapeutic sessions with a public ceremony at a killing field and at a pagoda participated by TPO partners, students, and religious authorities.
• On-Site Support at the ECCC: TPO with its partner VSS provides on-site support to our civil parties at the ECCC
• Individual Counselling​: TPO provides individual counselling to female Civil Parties and survivors of gender-based violence during Khmer Rouge Regime at TPO clinic.
• Hotline Counselling​: TPO will do a continuous follow up with our intake clients through telephone twice a month after the intervention
• Medication: TPO invites Civil Parties who experienced GBV during KRR to undergo psychological assessment and psychiatric treatment at TPO clinic, and will offer financial assistance to those eligible.

Sector Development - The Mental Health Council of Australia (MHCA)

Sector Development aims to enhance the capacity and potential of the Australian mental health sector by identifying ways in which it can be developed to effectively support the needs of people with mental illness and the people who care for them. It champions new collaborative models and service delivery with new and innovative ways of working across all sections of society. This includes stakeholders in government, private industry, the not-for-profit sector and the general public

Sector Reform Engagement - The Mental Health Council of Tasmania

Sector Reform Engagement links agencies in order to be able to communicate with members and the broader community on the implementation of the reform agenda. The aim is to inform and communicate about government policy reform at both the state and national levels in the mental health sector. MHCT advises and provides feedback to the relevant stakeholders about the impacts and implications of policy reform including increasing public and community awareness.

The Advocacy Program - Mental Health Uganda

The advocacy program is the core program of Mental Health Uganda that works with other partners in the review processes of the Mental Health Act (1964) and the Persons with Disability Act (2006). As a result of this advocacy, the committee highlighted areas for improvement for people with psycho-social disabilities.

The Forced Drugging Defense Package - Mind

The Forced Drugging Defense Package developed by the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights for the MindFreedom Shield program. As part of the MindFreedom Shield Program, the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights (PsychRights®) has prepared and contributed a generic Forced Drugging Defense Package, for adaptation and use by people facing forced drugging  around the country.  The Forced Drugging Defense Package is built around the written expert testimony of Grace E. Jackson, MD, and the award winning author of Mad in America, Robert Whitaker, which PsychRights has successfully used to stop forced drugging in one of its cases.

The Integrated Forensic Program (IFP) - The Royal Mental Health Care

The Royal provides specialized services for assessment and treatment of adults with mental illnesses who have come into conflict with the criminal justice. The IFP provides specialized services in assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and community reintegration of adults 18 years and older who may be (or have been found) unfit to stand trial as well as adults who may be (or have been found) not criminally responsible by the court on account of mental illness. Additionally, the Family Court Clinic conducts court-ordered assessments for youth in conflict with the law and provides psychiatric consultation to the Youth Mental Health Court. The Forensic Program operates at three sites that offers varying levels of security, supervision and privileges within structured treatment environments and each works to create a therapeutic milieu of supportive care that promotes safe reintegration into the community. The range of mental health services offered by the IFP are numerous and include:

• Violence prevention
• Risk management
• Court diversion
• Pre-trial assessment and treatment;
• Inpatient services
• Mental health courts
• Day treatment
• Case management
• Transitional housing
• Outpatient and community consultation services
• An active and on-going research component in order to increase its understanding of issues and to better help patients. 
• Assessment and treatment of problematic sexual behaviours and aggression, as well as
• Areas of mental health adjustment among forensic patients are currently being investigated.

Like many of the programs at The Royal the Integrated Forensic Program specializes in providing interdisciplinary treatment teams that consist of professionals from the fields of psychiatry, psychology, social work, nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, addiction counseling, vocational rehabilitation, pharmacy and recreation therapy as well as input from dietary, chaplaincy and education. The team develops individualized treatment plans to optimize risk management, patient mental health and well-being, that is consistent with public safety and within the limits of their defined dispositions.

• Forensic Services (Southeast Region): operates 61 inpatient beds, located at the Brockville Mental Health Centre. Inpatient services include secure assessment and treatment, active forensic rehabilitation, and transition care for community reintegration. Outpatient services include outreach support and supervision programs for individuals throughout eastern Ontario.
• Forensic Services (Champlain Region): the IFP Champlain, located at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, has two units with a total of 43 inpatient beds. The Secure Assessment Unit focuses on acute care, pre- and post-trial assessment and treatment. The Secure Rehabilitation and Community Unit provides short to medium term rehabilitation, illness management and recovery programming. General Forensic Outpatient Services offers assessment, treatment, consultation, group and individual therapy, vocational assessment and referral, case management and outreach nursing, day treatment and support and referral.
• Secure Treatment Unit: this facility is a medium secure 100-bed correctional hybrid centre and mental health centre located at the Brockville Mental Health Centre and is a one-of-a kind in Canada. The Secure Treatment Unit serves 30 other provincial correctional facilities from across Ontario. The facility was created when The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services contracted The Royal to provide secure assessment, treatment and discharge planning to adult male offenders who have been provincially sentenced and have been diagnosed with a mental illness. In keeping with The Royal’s interdisciplinary treatment protocol, teams at the Secure Treatment Unit provide specialized assessment and treatment in the areas of sex offending, dysfunctional anger, trauma disorders and a range of psychosocial rehabilitation modules that address individual resident needs. Throughout their time at this facility, patient treatment focuses on reduced recidivism that ultimately leads to ensuring successful reintegration into the community.

Under the IFP, The Royal also offers three specialty clinics that are directed to individuals who either are (or could be at risk of being) in conflict with the criminal justice system. They include a Sexual Behaviours Clinic, Family Court Clinic and Anger Disorders Clinic.

• The Sexual Behaviours Clinic offers services specifically for those who have been or are at risk of being in conflict with the law because of their sexual behaviour. The clinic’s goal are to provide assessment and treatment in order to manage the sexual behaviour-related problems, reduce symptom distress, as well as to increase psychosocial skills and coping strategies. Through treatment at this clinic, practitioners seek to improve overall patient well-being in order to maintain successful community living. Over the longer term, desired outcomes include reduced recidivism, prevention of hospital admissions and eventual discharge from the forensic program. Through this clinic, support is also available for the spouses and partners of individuals who have been or are at risk of being in conflict with the law because of their sexual behaviour. 
• The Family Court Clinic provides assessment for courts involving children and youth in matters that pertain to the Child and Family Services Act, as well as the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
• The Royal’s Anger Disorders Clinic offers specialized comprehensive assessments, consultations, treatment and management of individuals that have anger-related problems, whether or not they are in conflict with the law.
• Youth Forensic Psychiatry at The Royal: the Royal plays an important role when youth are found to be in conflict with the law and enter the criminal justice system. The Family Court Clinic, offered through The Royal’s Integrated Forensic Program, is primarily responsible for providing court-ordered assessments for youth between the ages of 12 and 18. Assessments of ‘fitness to stand trial’ and of ‘criminal responsibility’ are undertaken by the Family Court Clinic to help inform the Court about the influence of mental health, behavioural, psychosocial and family-related problems upon a young person in conflict with the law. The assessments include recommendations for interventions and treatment options that could be implemented in order to address the young person’s specific needs and help reduce the risk of recidivism. A multidisciplinary team comprised of a psychiatrist, psychological associate/psychologist and social worker conduct the assessment. The process includes a psychiatric assessment of the young person, interviews with the parent, guardian or parent-figure, psychological evaluations and other specific assessments or investigations of the young person as well as gathering of information from collateral professional sources with the consent of the parties involved. The final report, which is subject to confidentiality and disclosure stipulations, is released to the presiding judge. The Family Court Clinic also provides psychiatric consultation services to the Youth Mental Health Court. An accused young person may enter this court if, in the opinion of the Crown, a mental disorder was a central feature of the case and the accused youth would benefit from the unique sentencing approaches available through the Youth Mental Health Court. The Youth Mental Health Court’s primary objectives include the facilitation of improved access to community mental health treatment services and positive outcomes for accused young persons with mental illness.
• The Ontario Review Board (ORB) conducts annual reviews of the status of every person who has been found to be not criminally responsible or who is unfit to stand trial for criminal offences due to a mental disorder. Information on the ORB can be found on its website at: www.orb.on.ca

The Integrated Forensic Program (IFP) - The Royal Mental Health Care

The Integrated Forensic Program (IFP) provides specialized services for assessment and treatment of adults with mental illnesses who have come into conflict with the criminal justice system. The IFP provides specialized services in assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and community reintegration of adults 18 years and older who may be (or have been found) unfit to stand trial as well as adults who may be (or have been found) not criminally responsible by the court on account of mental illness. Additionally, the Family Court Clinic conducts court-ordered assessments for youth in conflict with the law and provides psychiatric consultation to the Youth Mental Health Court. The Forensic Program operates:

• Forensic Services for the Southeast Region operates 61 inpatient beds, located at the Brockville Mental Health Centre. Inpatient services include secure assessment and treatment, active forensic rehabilitation, and transition care for community reintegration. Outpatient services include outreach support and supervision programs for individuals throughout eastern Ontario.
• Forensic Services for the Champlain Region: has two units with a total of 43 inpatient beds. The Secure Assessment Unit focuses on acute care, pre- and post-trial assessment and treatment. The Secure Rehabilitation and Community Unit provides short to medium term rehabilitation, illness management and recovery programming
• General Forensic Outpatient Services offers assessment, treatment, consultation, group and individual therapy, vocational assessment and referral, case management and outreach nursing, day treatment and support and referral.
• Secure Treatment Unit is a medium secure 100-bed correctional hybrid centre and mental health centre located at the Brockville Mental Health Centre and is a one-of-a kind in Canada. The Secure Treatment Unit serves 30 other provincial correctional facilities from across Ontario. The facility was created when The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services contracted The Royal to provide secure assessment, treatment and discharge planning to adult male offenders who have been provincially sentenced and have been diagnosed with a mental illness.
• The Sexual Behaviours Clinic offers services specifically for those who have been or are at risk of being in conflict with the law because of their sexual behaviour. The clinic’s goal are to provide assessment and treatment in order to manage the sexual behaviour-related problems, reduce symptom distress, as well as to increase psychosocial skills and coping strategies. Through treatment at this clinic, practitioners seek to improve overall patient well-being in order to maintain successful community living. Over the longer term, desired outcomes include reduced recidivism, prevention of hospital admissions and eventual discharge from the forensic program. Through this clinic, support is also available for the spouses and partners of individuals who have been or are at risk of being in conflict with the law because of their sexual behaviour. 

• The Family Court Clinic provides assessment for courts involving children and youth in matters that pertain to the Child and Family Services Act, as well as the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

• The Royal’s Anger Disorders Clinic offers specialized comprehensive assessments, consultations, treatment and management of individuals that have anger-related problems, whether or not they are in conflict with the law.

• Youth Forensic Psychiatry at The Royal: the Royal plays an important role when youth are found to be in conflict with the law and enter the criminal justice system. The Family Court Clinic, offered through The Royal’s Integrated Forensic Program, is primarily responsible for providing court-ordered assessments for youth between the ages of 12 and 18. Assessments of ‘fitness to stand trial’ and of ‘criminal responsibility’ are undertaken by the Family Court Clinic to help inform the Court about the influence of mental health, behavioural, psychosocial and family-related problems upon a young person in conflict with the law. The assessments include recommendations for interventions and treatment options that could be implemented in order to address the young person’s specific needs and help reduce the risk of recidivism. A multidisciplinary team comprised of a psychiatrist, psychological associate/psychologist and social worker conduct the assessment. The process includes a psychiatric assessment of the young person, interviews with the parent, guardian or parent-figure, psychological evaluations and other specific assessments or investigations of the young person as well as gathering of information from collateral professional sources with the consent of the parties involved. The final report, which is subject to confidentiality and disclosure stipulations, is released to the presiding judge.

• The Family Court Clinic also provides psychiatric consultation services to the Youth Mental Health Court. An accused young person may enter this court if, in the opinion of the Crown, a mental disorder was a central feature of the case and the accused youth would benefit from the unique sentencing approaches available through the Youth Mental Health Court. The Youth Mental Health Court’s primary objectives include the facilitation of improved access to community mental health treatment services and positive outcomes for accused young persons with mental illness.

In keeping with The Royal’s interdisciplinary treatment protocol, teams at the Secure Treatment Unit provide specialized assessment and treatment in the areas of sex offending, dysfunctional anger, trauma disorders and a range of psychosocial rehabilitation modules that address individual resident needs. Throughout their time at this facility, patient treatment focuses on reduced recidivism that ultimately leads to ensuring successful reintegration into the community.

The range of mental health services offered by the IFP are numerous and include violence prevention; risk management; court diversion; pre-trial assessment and treatment; inpatient services; mental health courts; day treatment; case management; transitional housing and outpatient and community consultation services. The program also has an active and on-going research component in order to increase its understanding of issues and to better help patients. The Forensic Research Unit is associated with The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research affiliated with the University of Ottawa. Research is externally funded and peer-reviewed. Assessment and treatment of problematic sexual behaviours and aggression, as well as areas of mental health adjustment among forensic patients are currently being investigated.

Like many of the programs at The Royal the Integrated Forensic Program specializes in providing interdisciplinary treatment teams that consist of professionals from the fields of psychiatry, psychology, social work, nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, addiction counseling, vocational rehabilitation, pharmacy and recreation therapy as well as input from dietary, chaplaincy and education. The team develops individualized treatment plans to optimize risk management, patient mental health and well-being, that is consistent with public safety and within the limits of their defined dispositions.

The Mental Health Australia 2018-19 Budget Summary - The Mental Health Council of Australia (MHCA)

The Mental Health Australia 2018-19 Budget Summary highlights some of the key measures in the 2018-19 Federal Budget likely to be of interest to mental health stakeholders.

The Sexuality and Mental Health Institute (SAMHI) - Anjali

The Sexuality and Mental Health Institute (SAMHI) was conceptualized as an extension of Anjali’s work on sexuality and mental health. The aim was to reach out to students, young mental health professionals, medical professionals, lawyers and people working within NGOs, CBOs, donor agencies, etc. to learn and understand more about issues of sexuality and mental health so that programs designed and methods of intervention can be more holistic. The organization aims to encourage thought, study, enquiry and action, by providing a space for discussion, cultivation of ideas, breaking down of notions of stigma- with the penultimate aim of promoting inclusion of sexuality in mainstream mental healthcare services. The Institute aims to:

• Facilitate the understanding of the nuances of psychosocial disability and sexuality
• Create linkages with global work and programs that impact mental health
• Examine existing laws – both national and international – that impact the work on mental health and sexuality
• Discuss work that is already existing in the field and enable participants to connect their work with issues of mental health and sexuality
• Create a dynamic point of enquiry, study and action on mental health and sexuality
• Generate new ideas and public debates on mental health and sexuality

The Cultural Advocacy Project  - Mind in Camden

The Cultural Advocacy Project aims to support community groups and organisations to promote wellbeing and support individuals and families to look after their mental health. This support is coproduced with community members so it is reflective of specific cultural needs. Each organisation is offered tailor made training and consultancy to help establish groups and events which can best achieve these aims. They aim to:

• Help reduce the sense of isolation experienced by BAME community members struggling with their mental health.
• Help improve levels of wellbeing and self-confidence of people experiencing distress, taking into consideration their specific cultural needs.
• Help enable individuals to access support services in a timely way and work alongside community groups and mainstream providers to ensure these services are inclusive and support cultural needs.

Along with community organisations, we have set up Peer Support Groups for members of the community to connect with people from their cultural background who have similar experiences. These free supportive networks are warm and encouraging spaces, enabling members to be around like minded people and safely ask questions, learn skills and share experiences.