"Voice, Choice and Human Rights in Mental Health Care"

The City Club of Eugene panel "Voice, Choice and Human Rights in Mental Health Care" is now available in audio, text and video formats online.

On the panel were:

• David W. Oaks, director, MindFreedom International
  
• Tracey "TC" Dumas, PhD
• Ron Unger, mental health counselor

The panel linked the movement to change the mental health system to the influence of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement in general.

The panel also addressed enacting empowerment guidelines for Lane County Mental Health Clients.

Many are familiar with complaints about the mental health system, but now MindFreedom and allied consumers/survivors have written guidelines for change and are asking that LaneCare and Lane County Mental Health officially adopt them.

Said Ron Unger, coordinator of MindFreedom Lane County:

"What these guidelines aim at is a mental health system truly oriented around the rights of people, and around their long term, not just short term, interests.

"They envision a mental health system that is more likely to listen to the voices of those it is trying to help; one that recognizes that there are differences in what works for different people; one that fosters realistic hope for regaining healthy self direction; and one that recognizes that being "normal" is not the only way to be healthy.

"2010 could begin a new decade of increased respect for voice, choice, and human rights in Mental Health: Let's all ask Lane County to agree to make these improvements become standard in mental health care!"

The City Club of Eugene web site has panelist information and photos here:

http://www.cityclubofeugene.org/calendar/2010_01_15.html

Listen Online

You can listen to an MP3 recording of the panel from the KLCC-FM web archives here:

http://www.klcc.org/audio/cityclub2010_01_15.mp3

Watch Online

The speech given by David Oaks can be viewed on YouTube, here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CityClubEugene#p/a/u/1/IQ0_Wo_Kdf8

Watch Tracey "TC" Dumas's speech on YouTube, here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CityClubEugene#p/a/u/0/adrDTtGeFRc

The panel can also be viewed on Ustream, here:

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/3998744

Listen at the Eugene Public Library

In a few weeks, an audiotape of the whole event will be available at the Eugene Public Library. Check with the Adult Reference librarian for availability at 541-682-5450 or email: LibraryAskUs@ci.eugene.or.us

Read the Text of the Speeches

You can read the original text of each panelist's speech (the final is a bit different) by clicking on the links below:

• David Oaks
• Tracy "TC" Dumas, PhD
  
• Ron Unger