Force for Freedom reframing Mental Health Care in California

Townhall PowerPoint

James B. (Jim) Gottstein, founder of the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights (PsychRights), campaigns against forced psychiatric drugging, electroshock, and incarceration. His presentation outlines the negative impacts of psychiatric drugs and the legal mechanisms available to protect patient rights.

CARE Court Impact Story Submission Invitation

California Peer Watch is gathering personal stories and lived experiences from individuals, family members, and service providers impacted by California’s Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court program. Your voice matters, and your story can help illuminate how this system is affecting people and communities across the state.

We invite you to share your experience—positive, negative, or mixed. Every perspective helps build a clearer, more honest understanding of CARE Court’s real‑world impact. Your submission will support statewide advocacy, inform public education efforts, and help ensure that community voices remain at the center of policy conversations.

Why Your Story Matters

It helps identify patterns, gaps, and unintended consequences within the CARE Court system
It elevates the lived expertise of those directly affected
It strengthens community‑led oversight and accountability
It contributes to a more accurate public record of how CARE Court is functioning on the ground

Who Can Submit

Individuals who have been referred to or involved in CARE Court
Family members or loved ones
Peer supporters, clinicians, case managers, and service providers
Advocates, organizers, and community observers

Your submission can be as detailed or brief as you feel comfortable sharing. You may submit anonymously if you prefer.

Your experience is important. Your story is powerful. Thank you for helping us document the truth of CARE Court in California.

CARE Court Impact Story Submission

Insult to Injury

Many people in our communities have been placed under involuntary psychiatric holds (often called a 5150). These experiences can be confusing, frightening, and sometimes harmful — especially for neurodivergent people, disabled people, and those already in crisis.

We’re working to improve how the system treats people during these moments. To do that, we need real stories from those who’ve lived it.

If you or someone you know has gone through an involuntary hold, please consider sharing this survey. Your voice can help shape better policies, safer practices, and more compassionate care.

Insult to Injury: Experiences with involuntary commitment Survey

California Peer Watch is an organization of Mental Health Peers in California who are passionate advocates for a Person-Centered approach to mental health care. Unlike the traditional top-down approach favored by the government, California Peer Watch emphasizes the importance of involving individuals with lived experience in shaping mental health policies and services.

Here are some key points about California Peer Watch:

Peer Advocacy: The organization comprises individuals who have personally navigated the mental health system. These peers bring unique insights, empathy, and understanding to the table. They advocate for policies that prioritize the well-being and autonomy of individuals receiving mental health services.

Person-Centered Approach: California Peer Watch believes that mental health care should be centered around the individual. This means recognizing each person’s unique needs, preferences, and goals. Rather than imposing standardized solutions, a person-centered approach tailors interventions to the individual’s circumstances.

Lived Experience: Peers draw from their own lived experiences with mental health challenges, recovery, and resilience. Their firsthand knowledge allows them to connect with others facing similar struggles and offer meaningful support.

Collaboration and Empowerment: California Peer Watch promotes collaboration between peers, mental health professionals, policymakers, and community members. By working together, they aim to create a more inclusive and effective mental health system. Empowering individuals to actively participate in their own care is a central tenet.

Challenging Top-Down Models: The organization challenges top-down decision-making processes that often exclude the voices of those directly impacted by mental health policies. Instead, they advocate for participatory approaches that involve peers in planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Education and Awareness: California Peer Watch educates the public, policymakers, and mental health professionals about the value of peer support. They raise awareness about the benefits of person-centered care and the role of peers in promoting recovery.

Legislative Advocacy: The organization engages in legislative advocacy to influence mental health policies at the state level. They collaborate with lawmakers, agencies, and stakeholders to shape policies that prioritize individual well-being and autonomy.

In summary, California Peer Watch champions a bottom-up, person-centered approach to mental health, valuing the expertise of those who have walked the path of recovery. Their advocacy contributes to a more compassionate, responsive, and effective mental health system in California.

California Peer Watch

About California Peer Watch