MindFreedom International

MindFreedom International “ferociously condemns” Trump’s Order Ending Crime & Disorder on America's Streets, 7/24/25. MFI’s President & CEO, K.K., said, ”This is not public safety – this is a direct & brutal attack on the fundamental civil liberties of unhoused, mad & disabled people, threatening mass institutionalization & forced treatment." Info:

MindFreedom International Condemns Executive Order "Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets": A Dangerous Return to Coercion and Institutionalization - MindFreedom International (MFI) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: August 17, 2025 Contact: K.K., President and CEO, MindFreedom International Executive Order: Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets – The White House MindFreedom International ferociously condemns the Executive Order “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s...

We are pleased to announce our April webinar, Involuntary Commitment and Its Potential Impacts: A Multidisciplinary Dialogue with Pim Welle, PhD, Awais Aftab, MD and Morgan Shields, PhD, taking place on 4/10/25 at 1pm Eastern.

1.5 CE credits for APA, ASWB, and NY Boards are available for this offering, with a sliding scale rate of $0-$40.

This presentation was a standout session at our 2024 conference, and we are thrilled to be able to offer it to our wider audience.

Webinar Description:

The involuntary hospitalization of people experiencing mental health crises is a widespread practice across the US, as common as imprisonment in state and federal prisons. In spite of persistent concerns from service users and advocates, the impacts of involuntary treatment have been difficult to characterize, and causal inference limited by structural and ethical barriers. This panel will lead with important new research led by Dr. Welle utilizing administrative data from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and leveraging the quasi-random assignment of evaluating physicians in order to estimate causal effects of involuntary hospitalization on post-discharge death by su***de or overdose, violent crime and employment. For individuals whom some physicians would hospitalize but others would not, the team has found that hospitalization nearly doubles the probability of being charged with a violent crime or dying by su***de or overdose in the three months after evaluation.

Remaining panelists – Drs. Morgan Shields and Awais Aftab – will reflect on these provocative findings and share their own adjacent work. Specifically, Dr. Shields will focus on inpatient psychiatry, including common experiences in inpatient settings, and the potential role of inpatient iatrogenic harm with respect to post-discharge outcomes. Dr. Awais, a community psychiatrist and philosopher of psychiatry, will discuss ethical and political implications, as well as potential ways forward.

Can't attend live? Don't worry! The webinar will be recorded and sent to all registrants. However, please note that live attendance is required for CE credits.

Register: www.isps-us.org/commitment

During the 2025 Global Disability Summit, the Global Coalition on Deinstitutionalization (GC-DI) is organising a Fireside chat on the role of regional and global coalitions in ensuring that the process of ending institutionalisation of persons with disabilities and ensuring the right to independent living is led by survivors and their experiences.

The Fireside chat will take place on Thursday, 3 April 2025, 14:30 - 15:00 (Berlin), Area 3.

We are organizing a campaign to defeat two harmful bills! Get involved to oppose bills which erode the rights of people to obtain help and support on their own terms, NO FORCE!

https://mindfreedom.org/front-page/advocating-for-choice-in-oregons-mental-health/

David Russell was locked up in the famous Mayo clinic in Minn. and had 17 involuntary electroshocks (also called ECT) against his wishes. But MindFreedom issued a Shield, many of you took action, nearly 30 attended his online court hearing: He won! AS OF 12/6 HE IS FREE! Activist Annie Singer sums up this victory in less than 4 mins here:

🥳 HUGE NEWS: David Russell to be released on Dec 6th after 8-month fight for freedom This is (hopefully) my last Shield Alert Update on David Russell: https://mindfreedom.org/front-page/david-russell/As of 12/3/24, David is scheduled to be pr...

The social change movement led by psychiatric survivors has very few archives, such as MindFreedom International’s archive by Oregon Health & Science University. Today I was in a meeting about OHSU’s future plans. Here is a link to their current MFI archives:

Search Results - OHSU MindFreedom International records Search Results.

Mad Pride Celebration 2024: You’re invited to a free global event broadcast from Toronto by The Friendly Spike Theatre Band this coming Thurs July 11, MadPride & DisabilityPride Month! As one of 9 guests, I’ll call for global nonviolent revolution, linking MadPride & challenging climate crisis. Sound crazy? You’re in the right place. More info:

‘Mad Pride Celebration 2024’ Brought to you byThe Friendly Spike Theatre Band Taking place virtually through ZoomThursday, July 11th 2024 Starting at:4:00 pm PT, 6:00 pm CT, 7:00 pm ET, 11:00 pm UTC, 1:00 am CET The evening wi…

Answer this human rights quiz on our website for a chance to win our drawing! https://mindfreedom.org/quiz-2023

Human Rights Quiz, Weekly Question #2. Who is pictured in the right of this photograph and what is the significance? Answer correctly on the website of MindFreedom International and be entered to win a drawing for cool prizes!