Legislative Bill Update: Progress on Dignity and Freedom Campaign!
An Update from Prisoners’ Legal Services – December 19, 2025 Greetings friends and family of incarcerated people, We hope this email finds you well. Thank you for your interest in legislative advocacy and for all your collaboration in helping to push PLS’ Dignity and Freedom Campaign Bills forward. We are very excited to say that the House side of the Joint Committee on Public…
Hope for Change: What We Can Learn from Frans Douw’s Visit to Massachusetts
In October, FFIMI and the Bridgewater State Hospital Family and Friends were honored to sponsor Frans Douw, a global humanitarian with more than 50 years of experience in closed institutions. He has worked with juveniles, forensic psychiatry, and has been a warden in several houses of detention and prisons for men and women in the…
Who to Call When You Have Health Concerns for an Incarcerated Loved One in the Massachusetts DOC
It can be confusing and stressful to know where to turn when your incarcerated loved one is struggling with a physical or mental health issue. The Massachusetts Department of Correction does provide a way for family members to share health concerns, but the contact information can be difficult to find. To make it easier, we’re…
Bridge Over Troubled Waters: A Call for Change at Bridgewater State Hospital
At FFIMI, we have sounded this alarm before—and we are far from alone. Advocates, families, clinicians, and impacted individuals have long called for meaningful change at Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH). Yet the suffering continues. The population at BSH includes some of the most vulnerable people in our state—individuals living with serious mental illness. These individuals…
The Transformative Power of the Prison Puppy Program
Incarceration is often defined by loss—the loss of freedom, autonomy, connection, and purpose. But in certain prisons, programs exist that challenge this stark reality, offering opportunities for growth, healing, and service. One such program is the American VetDogs Prison Puppy Program, which allows incarcerated individuals to raise and train service dogs that will eventually assist…
An Invitation from McLean Hospital –
The McLean Hospital Division of Psychotic Disorders invites you to join Dr. Julie M. McCarthy, PhD and colleagues for a series of educational webinars for family members and friends of a loved one navigating mental health recovery for psychosis, substance use, depression, anxiety, and more. The webinars will share skills from evidence-based approaches and presentations…
K2 in Massachusetts Prisons: An Epidemic Without a Real Solution
Lockdowns and time in ‘the hole’ are no substitute for treatment. FFIMI shares this summary of Boston Globe Article from December 22, 2024, by the Editorial Board. Incarcerated individuals in Massachusetts prisons are facing a growing crisis: the widespread availability and devastating impact of the synthetic cannabinoid K2. The Boston Globe recently highlighted this epidemic,…
Keep Families Connected Coalition: Support Legislation to Improve Visitation Policies
At FFIMI, we know how vital family and community connections are for our loved ones who are incarcerated. These relationships provide emotional support, promote well-being, and are essential to rehabilitation and successful re-entry. Yet, restrictive visitation policies in Massachusetts prisons and jails continue to create unnecessary barriers that keep families apart. That’s why we are…
FFIMI Shares Concern about Governor Healey’s Behavioral Health Cuts
Boston WWLP News Repost from 1/24/2025 by Robert Winant – FFIMI Steering Committee Member Governor Healey announced her 2026 budget plan on Wednesday and advocates and healthcare workers say it could be catastrophic for the behavioral healthcare industry. The budget includes the closure of a Cape Cod mental health center and reducing Department of Mental…
Disability Law Center Finds Unlawful, Violent Practices and Unsafe Environmental Conditions Persist at Bridgewater State Hospital
Another scathing report about Bridgewater State Hospital Disabiltiy Law Center just released their Feb. 6, 2025 report and the conditions at Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH) have NOT improved. The report states: “The Commonwealth must stop waiting for change that will never come and protect BSH Persons Served (PS), a population widely recognized as including individuals…
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Family and Friends of Individuals with Mental Illness ~ Advocating for those who are Justice Involved 