Prevent Wasting Money on Misinformed, Coercive Mental Health Overreach!

The below alert is especially for Oregonians who support human rights and alternatives in mental health. However, even if you live outside of Oregon, your voice will help show legislators they need to urgently stop this flawed bill.

Oregon State Senator Floyd Prozanski has had a Work Group on mental health issues. Within this Work Group, the Subcommittee of Oregonians with Lived Experience of the Mental Health System OPPOSES a harmful bill sponsored by Sen. Prozanski: 

SB187 redefines “dangerous” as a legal concept instead of a clinical concept, and increases the number of Oregonians likely to be subject to civil commitment restrictions of their civil rights.

Even though Sen. Prozanski’s Work Group never addressed or voted on SB187; Even though the Subcommittee of Oregonians with Lived Experience opposed SB187; And even though most public testimony was against SB187… Unfortunately, Sen. Prozanski pushed his bill. 

TAKE ACTION:

SB187 is now in the Oregon Joint Committee On Ways and Means. As a joint committee, it has legislators from both the House and the Senate. Please refer to this list of legislators in the Joint Committee On Ways and Means, and if you see any of them that represent you, please write to them and express your opposition to SB187!

Even if your Oregon Senator or Representative are NOT on the Joint Committee, email them and ask them to oppose the bill before the Joint Committee: 

You can also email to the six leaders of the Joint Committee, the co-chairs and co-vice chairs. You will find their email addresses in the sample letter below. 

For a sample model letter opposing SB187, click here.

To prepare your emails, you can read our one-page Brief Talking Points to Stop SB187. 

For a longer five-page analysis of the problems with SB187, click here.

To follow developments of this & other related bills, be sure to sign-up for email alerts from our partners at MindFreedom Oregon. Email: mf-oregon@aciu.info. (Version 20210526)

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Deadline to take the Lane Community Climate Survey is Friday, 21 May 2021.

The climate crisis demands immediate emergency attention. Below is a news release about an important survey you can take now. This has links to the survey in English and Spanish. Residents of Lane County, please take the survey today and distribute it widely, especially to marginalized communities.

Release date: 5/4/2021

LANE COMMUNITY CLIMATE SURVEY

Making sure climate actions are equitable & promote resilience in Lane County, Oregon:

The Lane Climate Equity and Resilience Task Force has launched a countywide survey that aims to identify climate priorities and concerns in Lane county communities, with a focus on reaching Low-income and working communities; Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; Immigrant Communities; Native American Community members; Mental Health and Disability Representatives; LGBTQ Communities; and Rural Communities.

The Lane Climate Resilience and Equity Task Force is composed of community representatives and stakeholders who live and work with diverse and underrepresented communities in Lane County. They are working to ensure that the climate actions developed by County staff and approved by its Board are equitable.

Community members can take the survey online here in English or Spanish:

● English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CERTF

● Español: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CERTF2

If you would like to take the survey over the phone, contact Haley at 541-313-8447.

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I loved the documentary about the disability movement, Crip Camp, on Netflix. It is one of the flicks nominated for an Academy Award. I hope you join me watching & cheering during this free Zoom webinar, info from the organizers:

CRIPPING THE RED CARPET on Sunday, April 25th at 3 pm PT, 6 pm ET.

Celebrate Crip Camp’s Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Feature! A historic moment for the disability community, Crip Camp at the Oscars will truly be a night to remember.

The Paul K. Longmore Institute and the Crip Camp Impact campaign are teaming up to kick off Oscar night with a celebration of disability community and culture. We’ll learn what the stars of the the film Crip Camp are thinking about the film’s Oscar nomination, have a red carpet dance party featuring all of you in your crip couture* (whether that’s rocking your best sweatpants and hoodie or busting out your Hollywood glam – we LOVE it all!), and enjoy a lot of laughs with our two event emcees, comedians Maysoon Zayid and Nina G.

Register: https://tinyurl.com/crippingtheredcarpet 

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Sunday, 18 April 2021, 5 pm PT

At that time click: tinyurl.com/ivorypeer

This is a free webinar in honor of the late Ivory McCuen (1990-2021).

Ivory died homeless of exposure at the age of 30 on 24 Jan. 2021 at 17th & Chambers in Eugene, Oregon. Ivory was a mother of two boys, and a frequent user of the mental health system. Ivory was known for her love of nature, art, and singing.

Live music by folksinger David Rogers

Speakers include:

• Breezy Smith, Ivory’s sister
• Reverend Lois Van Leer, UU Church in Eugene
• Eric Jackson, homeless rights activist
• Merri “Kitty” Carlisle & David Oaks, co-chairs of UUCE ATF
• Chuck Areford, retired mental health worker
• Christina Peirsol, NAMI Lane County
• Jacek “Jack” Haciak, Oregonians with Lived Experience
• Rachel Levy, Rethinking Psychiatry
• Rev. Phillip Schulman

ASL Interpreting by Patrick Galasso, Closed Captioning ㏄ Available

Co-sponsored by:

• Unitarian Universalist Church in Eugene Community (UUCE)
• UUCE Accessibility Task Force
• CareWorks of Lane County
• MindFreedom International
• MindFreedom Oregon
• Oregonians with Lived Experience of the Mental Health System
• Extinction Rebellion Justice Eugene
• Planet versus Pentagon
• Rethinking Psychiatry
• Aciu! Institute

Ivory’s obituary in Eugene Weekly: tinyurl.com/ivory-eugene

Donations in honor of Ivory can be made to White Bird’s crisis team, CAHOOTS.

For more information, to co-sponsor, or to reach organizers: ivorypeer@gmail.com or 541-914-1469

For the Facebook event page for this Virtual Vigil, click here.

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Tomorrow, 17 February 2021, is a special day for me. Along with many people all over the world, I remember the life and times of Giordano Bruno. He was the last individual burnt at the stake by the Inquisition on 17 February 1600.

A few years ago, I had the privilege of hosting my Mom from Chicago here in Eugene, Oregon for a decade. She shared many stories. One of the most startling was the revelation that my grandfather, an immigrant from Lithuania who spent many years digging coal, admired the author and philosopher, Giordano Bruno, whose statue is in Rome, turned to face the Vatican.

This year, I have asked a wonderful friend who was raised in Italy, psychiatrist Benedetto Saraceno, MD, to translate a short remembrance of Bruno. May we all be freethinkers during these challenging times when we need to change almost everything to address the climate crisis and the way our humanity responds.

You may find both the Italian and English translations here, please forward especially to folks who speak Italian:

Giordano Bruno: Italian & English Tribute, 17 Feb

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Updated: Now watch this webinar live, either on Zoom or Facebook, tomorrow, Sunday 31 Jan 2021:

Free Public Disability Webinar  

Unitarian Universalist Online Access Forum

Mental Disability, Mental Health & UU Values

TOMORROW Sunday, January 31, 2021

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm PST

Watch live on Zoom: tinyurl.com/uu-mental-disability

Or watch live on Facebook: facebook.com/UUEugene

All are welcome: Mental disability, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), brings special challenges. How do mental disability and mental health relate to the UU value of dignity & respect for all? A dialogue between Leslie Relle (TBI survivor) and David Oaks (psychiatric survivor), both UUCE members.

Special Guest: Rev. Phillip Schulman (TBI survivor) has served four UU congregations as Minister. He is a community organizer, peer leader & restorative justice activist.

Live music by Susanne Giordano, tune in 5 minutes early.

ASL interpreting by Patrick Galasso. Moderated by Merri Carlisle, Co-Chair.

Sponsor: Unitarian Universalist Church in Eugene Accessibility Task Force (ATF)

If you have any questions, would like to get on our email list, or would like to volunteer, contact us at access@uueugene.org or 541-914-1469. If you miss, ask about online recording. (Version 3)

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