1. The Shield program: public advocacy campaigns to help people free each other from coerced psychiatric treatment
Our free Shield program allows you to record your psychiatric treatment preferences in advance by filling out this private form on our website. You officially become a member of this program once we process your application.
As a Shield member, if you are ever threatened with or subjected to unwanted psychiatric treatment, you can contact MFI to organize a public campaign in which our volunteers and fellow Shield members will advocate on your behalf by respectfully pressuring the institutions involved in your case to honor your preferences and rights.
You are expected to offer the same support to others in their campaigns if possible.
While we cannot guarantee any results, past Shield campaigns have successfully reduced and even ended people’s coerced psychiatric treatment by raising public awareness of their situations.
Disclaimer: The Shield is not a substitute for any legal documents such as an advance directive, which we highly recommend you fill out as well.
2. Free informational articles and books
Our website offers a myriad of information to support psychiatric survivors and their loved ones, as well as mental health activists in general. For example, our 272-page Organizing Guide for Psychiatric Survivors is available both online as a downloadable PDF and as a book.
Those who lack regular access to a stable internet connection are welcome to request physical copies of our books and articles by phoning our office at (1) 541-345-9106. We appreciate financial compensation for our resource-mailing services but do not require it for anyone who cannot afford it.
3. Referrals for those seeking support
We do not offer any legal services, medical services, or support groups of our own, but we may be able to direct you to others in your area who are registered with us either as professional affiliates or as volunteers.
To request a potential referral, please contact our office at office@mindfreedom.org. (Note that we cannot guarantee any referrals because we may not necessarily know of anyone local to you.)
4. An online directory of survivor-friendly mental health care providers
We host a directory of mental health care providers who respect the needs of psychiatric survivors and anyone else searching for alternatives to conventional psychiatry, or simply mental health services that will not force unwanted treatment on them.
Practitioners can apply for our directory by filling out a form in which they are required to describe their services and agree to uphold MFI’s guidelines for providers. Our board of directors screens each application for approval.
5. Volunteer and internship opportunities
We are always looking for volunteers who could assist our cause by lending us their expertise in a variety of areas such as tabling, peer support, social media, fundraising, graphic/web design, database maintenance, and our Shield campaigns.
Multidisciplinary internships are also available for students seeking to build professional skills, gain hands-on experience with NPOs, and earn college credits.
Remote volunteers and interns are both welcome. Click here to learn more!
6. Judi’s Room: a monthly remote discussion open to all
Named in honor of celebrated activist Judi Chamberlin, Judi’s Room is a free discussion panel that MFI hosts jointly with I Love You, Lead On via Zoom on the first Wednesday of each month.
The discussion focuses on a different mental health topic each month and features input from panelists who are professionals and/or individuals with lived experience pertaining to the subject. This is typically followed by a Q&A session or open-floor discussion that anyone in the audience may join.
To attend Judi’s Room live, you are required to register in advance via a link that we send out to everyone on our mailing list for Judi’s Room. MFI members are automatically enrolled in this mailing list upon joining. Non-members are welcome to sign up for the mailing list simply by emailing our office at office@mindfreedom.org with “Add me to Judi’s Room” as the subject header.
You can view recordings of past Judi’s Room meetings on our official YouTube channel.
Donations are optional but always welcome because we use them to pay for the services of an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter whenever one is requested.