Update January 2011:

Brian Henley was discharged from Northeast Florida State Hospital on December 01, 2010. He is currently residing at an assisted living facility in Marion County. He has recently spoken with his son over the telephone, and he was optimistic about his chances of seeing more of him in the future. He is glad to be out of the hospital, and he desires to get on with his life. A special thanks goes out to all the people who helped make our campaign to free him from Northeast Florida State Hospital a success.

Here is original alert:

by MindFreedom Florida

Brian has been locked up in psychiatric institutions for more than two-and-a-half years. Patients at North East State are usually held for about on average 90 days, according to Florida peer advocates interviewed by MindFreedom off the record. Brian has been at North East Florida State Hospital for more than two years. 

For the six months prior to his hospitalization at North East Florida State Hospital he was held at Life Stream Behavioral Center in Leesburg Florida. At Life Stream, Brian says he was receiving injections of the powerful antipsychotic drug Prolixin that he said caused him to suffer pseudo-parkinson’s (involuntary shaking) and psycho-motor retardation (slowness of movement).

Brian would like to see a more holistic and drug-free approach to mental health treatment applied than the conventional drug treatment he has been receiving at Northeast State. He said he is currently being forcibly drugged on high doses of Lithium, Tegretol, and Ativan. Brian said he has lost 60 to 70 pounds since arriving at the hospital. Eventually he would like to be released from Northeast Florida State Hospital.

Previously he was being supervised by a Florida Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) team. He believes the authorities in the hospital will want him to be supervised by a FACT team when he is released.

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams have a reputation nationally for focusing on enforcement of psychiatric drug orders.

Action: Please Contact Florida’s Governor

Brian urges people to contact Governor Charlie Crist via his website, and leave a civil but strong message:
 
http://www.flgov.com/contact_governor

Sample message — your own words are best:

“Stop the forced psychiatric drugging of Brian Henley at North East Florida State Hospital on Unit 58 East. Provide humane alternatives to those psychiatric drugs which, according to Brain, are causing him harm.”

For those who would like to do more, Brian asks that people contact Community & Residential Relations at North East Florida State Hospital to also complain about his forced drugging, and lack of alternatives:

Caroline Stooner
(904) 259-6211 EXT. 1158
caroline_stooner@dcf.state.fl.us

Brian would also like to hear from supporters and people who have had experience in the mental health system.

Brian’s Address is:

Brian Henley
unit 58 East
Northeast Florida State Hospital
7487 S State Road 121
MacClenny, FL 32063-5451 USA

Brian has expressed a desire to work with MindFreedom International on behalf of those who have had their human rights violated by the psychiatric system once he is out of the hospital. MindFreedom Florida stands behind, and fully supports, Brian in his bid for self-determination and drug free treatment. 

Brian was hospitalized under the infamous Florida “Baker Act,” the law allowing involuntary psychiatric institutionalization in Florida. You may information about the Baker Act here:
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/mentalhealth/laws/histba.pdf

For Florida’s information about FACT;
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/mentalhealth/forensic/fact.html