Renaming & Reclaiming our Mental Health Story:
Our journeys, experiences & legal rights
Friday & Saturday, May 11-12, 2012
The First Unitarian Church • 1101 SW 12th Ave • Portland, OR
This is an inclusive forum for mental health professionals and organizations, and those who have used, currently use, or are seeking to learn more about holistic and integrative treatment options and services for mental health issues.
CEU’s for LCSW’s pending approval.
Symposium program and resource guide (pdf)
Press Release (pdf)
Friday, May 11th 7:00 – 9:00pm
Forced Medication, Psychotropic Drugs & Children
James Gottstein, attorney and founder of the PsychRights Law Project for Psychiatric Rights, is our keynote speaker. The overuse of medication in the mental health system, especially with children, will be examined. Mr. Gottstein’s talk will be followed by a panel discussion.
Saturday, May 12, 8:00am to 5:00pm
Workshops/Plenary
Join us with Jim Gottstein and a rich array of community workshops and resources as we share our journeys, experiences and wisdom, and develop action plans to support mental health alternatives and claim our mental health rights in Oregon.
It is our intent to foster collaboration and build community in the mental health arena. There will be time for networking and affinity groups. Our Symposium brings together the voices of those who have experienced challenges with our current mental health system, those who have questions about the options for care and support, and those who have found solutions and support from any variety of pharmaceutical, psychotherapeutic and complimentary and alternative approaches to mental wellness.
Watch for more news and updates!
James Gottstein, Esq. Keynote Speaker
Since late 2002, Mr. Gottstein has devoted the bulk of his time pro bono to the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights (PsychRights) whose mission is to mount a strategic litigation campaign against forced psychiatric drugging and electroshock across the United States. Starting, in 2004, Jim has made addressing the alarming and horrific increase in the psychiatric drugging of children and youth a high priority.
Mr. Gottstein has won four important Alaska Supreme Court cases, including a June 2006 decision, Myers v. Alaska Psychiatric Institute, which ruled Alaska’s forced drugging procedures unconstitutional. Myers has been called “the most important State Supreme Court decision” on forced drugging in 20 years.
Mr. Gottstein is most known around the US and internationally for subpoenaing and releasing the Zyprexa Papers in late 2006, resulting in a series of New York Times articles and an editorial calling for a Congressional investigation. In January of 2009, Eli Lilly pled guilty and agreed to pay $1.4 Billion in civil and criminal fines for the activities revealed by the Zyprexa Papers.
Articles by James Gottstein:
- The Illegality of Forced Drugging and Electroshock
- A Three Pronged Approach to Mental Health System Change
- Multifaceted Grassroots Efforts to Bring About Meaningful Change to Alaska’s Mental Health Program
- Psychiatry: Force of Law
- Psychiatrists’ Failure to Inform: Is there Substantial Financial Exposure?
- Ethical and Moral Obligations Arising From Revelations of Pharmaceutical Company Dissembling
Video by James Gottstein:
Sponsored by
- Disability Rights Oregon
- Economic Justice Action Group of the First Unitarian Church
- Empowerment Initiatives
- FolkTime
- MindFreedom International
- MOMS Movement
- National College of Natural Medicine
- Portland Hearing Voices
- The Real Wealth of Portland
- Transition Projects
Location
First Unitarian Church, 1101 SW 12th Ave., Portland, Oregon