Mental Health Association of Portland
The Mental Health Association of Portland is an American charitable nonprofit interested in politics, education, advocacy, and research about mental illness in Portland, Oregon. The organization is the state's impartial and independent advocate for persons with mental illness and addiction and acts as fiscal agent for projects defined and done by persons with mental illness or in recovery from addiction.
Described by The Oregonian newspaper as, "Oregon's foremost independent advocate for persons with mental illness and addiction," the all-volunteer organization has exposed routine abuse of persons with mental illness by police, jails, governments and the psychiatric industry. Long-standing members of the board and advisory council include advocates Beckie Child, Kevin Fitts, and Jason Renaud, filmmaker Brian Lindstrom, journalist Jenny Westberg, and disability rights attorney Bob Joondeph.
Their web site is one of the largest archives of mental health history in the English language. The organization is the archivist for family therapy pioneer Carl Whitaker, and produces the Northwest Law & Mental Health Conference and Oregon Housing Conference.
Recent projects include the documentary film Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse; the peer-run support group Portland Hearing Voices, part of the international Hearing Voices Movement; exposing dangers for patients at the Oregon State Hospital; and political advocacy in response to the police-caused deaths of Brad Morgan, James Chasse, Aaron Campbell, Jackie Collins, Keaton Otis, Lukus Glenn, Dickie Dow, and many others.
Further reading
- Supervised Injection Is A Bad Idea, May 2018
- People in crisis, with mental illness need sanctuary, May 2018
- Yes, Trump might have a mental illness – but that's irrelevant October 2017
- With a new mayor, Portland should kickstart police reforms to help those with mental illness January 2017
- County's failures continue with Wapato October 2016
- Why we document you: Recording the city’s oversight failure. June 2016
- Stop using the term 'substance abuse.' May 2016
- Police accountability starts with a new police union contract. January 2016
- Advocacy by and for people with mental illness: The DIY Guide. December 2015
- Portland Police are still killing the mentally ill. November 2015
- Oregon police officers are rarely held accountable for undue violence. Here are six possible reasons. June 2015
- Death by cop: Who’s at risk? May 2015
- Our newest, not-so-new police directive: Just walk away, January 2015
- Someone Has to Do It: No One's Been Reliably Tracking Police Shootings. Here's a Start. December 2014
- Portland police, DOJ settlement fails on multiple fronts, August 2014
- What to Do Before Your Kid is in Crisis, July 2010
- An open letter on Portland’s settlement with the Department of Justice, October 28, 2012
- Beyond the Department of Justice Report: Cease Fire Now, September 2012
- “Suicide By Cop” Means Manslaughter, March 2012