by

Pat Risser

patrickrisser@gmail.com

Learn the language: Acronyms

NARPA – National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy

NDRN – National Disability Rights Network

SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

NCD – National Council on Disability

CMHS – Center for Mental Health Services

NCIL – National Council on Independent Living

NAPS – National Association of Psychiatric Survivors

NAPA – Network Against Psychiatric Assault

NAMP – National Association of Mental Patients

P&A – Protection and Advocacy

Other acronyms: http://www.patrisser.com/Acronym_List_MH.htm

Types of Advocacy:

•Individual

•Litigation

•Negotiation

•Support

•Investigation

•Systemic

•Litigation

•Negotiation

•Investigation

•Monitoring

•Lobbying

•Organizing

•Education

Why Advocate?

Advocacy Cause…

“Expressed Interests” versus “Best Interests”

Values of Advocacy…

•For the Individual – grow in independence, self esteem

•For ‘professionals’ – Having an Advocate work with a person means "an extra pair of hands" to resolve a person’s issues

•For mental health facilities – Advocates can help to identify systemic problems that are hidden, even from those working in the system

•For the Community – Advocacy can help increase public awareness and eliminate stigma

1608 – Parens patriae relates to a notion initially invoked by the King's Bench in the sixteenth century in cases of non compos mentis (not having control over the mind or intellect) adults. The parens patriae doctrine was gradually applied to children throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and has since evolved from one granting absolute rights to the sovereign to one more associated with rights and obligations of the state and courts towards children and incapacitated adults. The same principles apply to individuals whose mental capacity is allegedly impaired and who are being abused by carers or other individuals, whether family members or otherwise because it is believed that these individuals cannot protect or take care of themselves. A variant may include the in loco parentis doctrine.

The term in loco parentis, Latin for "in the place of a parent” refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organization to take on some of the functions and responsibilities of a parent. Originally derived from English common law, it is applied in two separate areas of the law. First, it allows institutions such as colleges and schools to act in the best interests of the students as they see fit, although not allowing what would be considered violations of the students' civil liberties. Second, this doctrine can provide a non-biological parent to be given the legal rights and responsibilities of a biological parent if they have held themselves out as the parent.

Because there is no full-time staff, NARPA does not, and is not able to do individual advocacy. We have, on rare occasions signed on to amicus briefs in appellate courts.

Our part-time Administrator will do occasional Information and Referral, mostly to P&A’s

Once upon a time a man named John decided to go for a kayak ride in a nearby river. Unfortunately, he greatly underestimated the strength of the current, and shortly after he set out he capsized. He was tumbling down the river, being injured as he banged into rocks when he spotted a large log near him. With considerable effort, John was able to grab the log and he held on to it for dear life. Clinging to the log, John continued to be swept down the river. He still crashed against things but with the log he was able to keep his head above water and survive. Finally, the current ejected John and the log into the middle of a large, tranquil pond. The log got caught on a rock in the middle of the pond. There were some people on the beach at the edge of the pond, and they saw John out in the middle. They called out to him: "Hello! You are safe now! It is not very far to shore! Just swim over here – the water is calm, it’s not that deep, you will be fine! But John could not let go of the log.

Why is John clinging to the log when he is so close to safety?

 

What will the people have to do if they truly want to help John?

(They will have to swim out to him, and they will have to give him something like a life preserver to replace his log.)

 

In what ways are we swimming out to the people we serve?

 

What life preservers are we giving them?

About 45,000 B.C. we know from archaeological finds, there are at least a dozen cases in which disease or pathology was so severe, the person must have had care in order to survive. These are case studies where direct support or accommodation was necessary. This is the first peer-support and pre-dates medicine by over 40,000 years.

More on History of the Movement:

http://www.patrisser.com/CSX_History_Timeline.htm

Controversial Language:

http://www.patrisser.com/Language_Controversy.htm