ISPS-US has signed on to a letter supporting peer respite advocacy in Connecticut. Advocates are currently organizing against a recent RFP put out by the state's DMHAS for a peer respite center because the limitations set around the center deviate from what studies and experience in other states show are best practices.
Peer respites provide an invaluable alternative to traditional psychiatric institutions. These respites, which are staffed and run by individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges, offer a safe and supportive environment for individuals in distress.
Peer respites recognize the value of lived experience and foster a sense of community, connection, and shared healing. By promoting peer respites, we can advocate for a mental health system that values the expertise of those who have walked a similar path and ensures that individuals have access to non-coercive, non-medicalized options for support and recovery. Peer respites are transformative spaces that challenge the traditional power dynamics within mental health, empowering individuals to take control of their own healing journey while fostering a sense of belonging and solidarity within the peer community.
We stand with CT's advocates who demand for peer respites that hold fidelity to the model we know works and provide support for those most in need.
Sign on to this letter by 5pm Eastern tomorrow (5/18).
https://forms.gle/299gdRNXAo1stjyDA
More context in the following news articles:
https://insideinvestigator.org/connecticut-moves-to-create-peer-respite-house-but-mental-health-advocates-cry-foul/
#advocacy #peerrespite #mentalhealth #psychosis #conneticut
