By PEERS Last month, California lawmakers unveiled SB 43, a bill that aims to expand the criteria by which individuals can be detained for mental health treatment. It would expand the definition of “gravely disabled” to make it easier to involuntarily detain people for forced treatment. We, the staff of PEERS, stand in opposition to SB 43. We believe people should be free to choose among many mental health options that address their needs as a whole person. That’s why we’ve joined a group of mental health organizations from across California in opposing this bill. The group, led by Disability Rights California, believes that the Legislature should invest in evidence-based, community-defined programs and services that are proven to meet the needs of Californians living with serious mental disabilities, including affordable, accessible housing with voluntary support services. Together, we’ve submitted a letter to Senator Eggman, the author of SB 43, outlining the reasons we oppose this bill. Here is an excerpt from the letter:
The full letter goes into further detail into the reasons why we oppose SB 43. Read it in its entirety below.
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By Leah Harris This month, you may see references to both “Autism Acceptance Month” and “Autism Awareness Month.” What’s the story behind these dueling months?
By Leah Harris During Black History and Black Futures Month in February, Massachusetts-based Wildflower Alliance, in collaboration with New Life II in Connecticut, launched a live and virtual exhibit entitled Black Movement History Leaders, Past and Present.
The exhibit honors the leadership of Black Californians, including Keris Jän Myrick, Kelechi Ubozoh, and Gogo Ekhaya Esima. By PEERS As Black History Month comes to an end, we want to share a collection of poems written by the members of Lift Every Voice and Speak. Each of these poems centers the writer's experience and shares something unique. We hope you enjoy them and continue to uplift and listen to Black voices beyond Black History Month. ![]() Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash By Leah Harris
There’s intense social pressure, especially around the time of New Year’s, to set goals to be better, grind harder, be more efficient, and ever-healthier and more well. In recent years, many are wisely beginning to revolt against New Year’s resolutions that reinforce the toxic cultural push towards relentless self-improvement and machine-like productivity. ![]() Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash By Leah Harris
CW: fatphobia, body shaming The holidays can be stressful for all kinds of reasons. Parties and social interactions can be rewarding, but draining. There are all the expectations and financial stress around holiday gift-giving and consumerism. For fat people, these stresses are compounded by anticipating and experiencing fatphobia and body-shaming while attending holiday gatherings. Thankfully, fat liberation activists have developed a variety of practical resources to lessen the pain and humiliation of anti-fatness during the holiday season. Here is some of their collected wisdom. After receiving a mental health diagnosis, journalist Stephanie Foo embarks on journey to answer one question: can complex PTSD be cured? What followed was a sprawling exploration of race, culture, history, and complex trauma, which she details in her memoir, "What My Bones Know".
By Leah Harris We're excited to announce that several PEERS staff members will be presenting at Redefining Crazy: It's the System, Not the People.
Redefining Crazy is an online virtual conference hosted by San Francisco Mental Health Association that tackles the topic of mental health from various perspectives. This year's conference is taking place Wednesday, October 12th through Friday, October 14th. Each day will kick off with a keynote presentation around noon each day followed by a full lineup of workshops from peers and mental health providers, which includes some of our wonderful staff. Here's a list of the presentations our staff are leading:
The full schedule for the event can be found here. Registration to this event is completely free. Folks interested in attending can register by visiting this link. Enter body doubling, a productivity hack that can help you start and complete the tasks you dread the most.
By Leah Harris By Leah Harris
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and the biggest news in suicide prevention this year is the launch of the new, easy-to-remember 988 number for mental health crisis and suicide prevention. |