Gazette Story On
Smith Class Gift

The Hampshire Gazette just did a great story on the Smith College School of Social Work's class gift to the Freedom Center, on page A3 and on the top of the front page content blurbs.

Hunger Strike for Freedom in Psychiatry

PASADENA, CALIF: On Sat., 16 August 2003 six "psychiatric survivors" from throughout the United States arrived in Pasadena, Calif. and began a hunger strike to press for human rights and choice in psychiatry.

Their demand: That the mental health industry produce even one study proving the common industry claim that "mental illness is biologically-based." The hunger strikers charge that the pharmaceutical industry and psychiatry are medicalizing an ever-widening spectrum of human emotion and behavior for financial gain, and are willing to deceive the public while they too frequently humiliate and harm their clients.

Smith SSW '03 Class Gift!

2nd ServiceNet Letter

The second letter to ServiceNet is now up on the website, on the "ServiceNet Campaign" page. We wanted to get this to the ServiceNet Board before making it public, so we appreciate the patience of the media and others who have been asking to see it.

The great news is that once word got out we had a protest planned, ServiceNet started to take some more positive steps! They still have a very long way to go, but we consider the campaign successful for calling attention to problems and getting things to change -- and for empowering people.

Thanks to the hard work and courage of everyone who has been involved in this great effort.

Speak-Out a Success

More than 50 people shared an incredible evening of truth-telling and discussion last Thursday as we gathered for the second annual Speak Out on Psychiatric Abuse and Alternative Recovery, "Anguish and Joy Of Madness." Photos, audio, and video will be available soon, and the speakers' powerful testimony will also be transcribed and posted on the website.

Thanks to everyone whose courage, compassion, and hard work made this memorable evening a real triumph!

Our Funding Was Cut!

We lost our funding for 2003-2004! For the past two years Freedom Center has been funded through the Department of Mental Health Consumer Initiative Grants. The Consumer Initiative Grants are the result of years of mental patient liberation activism stretching back to the 1970s. They represent one of the few DMH programs where funding resources are put directly under the control of patients themselves for autonomous initiatives related to empowerment, skills training, and recovery.