By Donna Winant For the past seven months there was no chaplain at Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH). Before that, there was a short-term chaplain. And previous to that, for months and months, there was no chaplain. Family members pushed and pushed and gave suggestions for temporary solutions. This was ignored until advocate voices became louder… Continue reading A Lack of Chaplain Services at Bridgewater State Hospital
By M. I spent the last six and half years incarcerated. The first two years were spent at Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH). The later years at a county house of corrections. I always felt like I was living someone else's life, that I was in this nightmare and I could not wake up. At first… Continue reading Reflections on Incarceration and Release
Advocates and families clash with pro-status quo government forces to transfer the hospital out of the hands of the Department of Corrections by Summer Maxwell - Repost from Student Dispatch Boston - Stories Around Boston - Nov. 2, 2022 *Editor's note: This piece was written prior to the Massachusetts Elections. FFIMI hopes for positive action… Continue reading Bridgewater State Hospital in Hot Water Regarding Oversight
WBUR by Deborah Becker A new report found little has been done to correct problems at Bridgewater State Hospital, including the use of medications to chemically restrain patients. The Disability Law Center (DLC) found that the Massachusetts Department of Correction, which operates the facility, illegally used chemical and physical restraints on people in custody, lacks adequate services… Continue reading Little has been done to correct problems at Bridgewater State Hospital, report finds
Disability Law Center Again Calls for Bridgewater State Hospital Reform on the Basis of Serious Concerns About Facility Conditions and Rights Violations – Disability Law Center (dlc-ma.org) In 2017 the Disability Law Center (DLC) met with Governor Charlie Baker and urged him to allocate funding to provide more comprehensive medical and psychiatric care at Bridgewater… Continue reading Bridgewater State Hospital – Serious Concerns About Facility Conditions and Rights Violations Persist
FFIMI Director, Donna Winant, was interviewed by Leonna Abraham Brandao's of Blog Talk Radio/Shedding Light. Leonna's passion is to get people talking and working together to find solutions to social justice issues, including the many that exist in the criminal justice system. Donna shared about FFIMI's mission and goal to be the voice of justice involved… Continue reading Shedding Light Podcast
The Poem Was Written On Behalf of Those Who Reside at Bridgewater State Hospital Can you hear pain?I can feel the pain inside my mindPain at the pain I’ve causedPain at not wanting or understanding whyMy brain isn’t working rightDidn’t ask for thisDidn’t want thisMaybe I’ll ask the gods that beIf they can hear my… Continue reading Hear Our Voices
In the January 2022 Report, DLC’s sweeping recommendations include the following: DOC must immediately remediate mold and assess for other environmental toxins existing in the BSH physical plant per expert recommendations and industry standards.The Commonwealth must commit to closing [BSH] and constructing a modern facility designed to provide psychiatric evaluations and treatment in a safe,… Continue reading Disability Law Center Calls for CHANGE at Bridgewater State Hospital
by Mike Walsh, FFIMI Member Thanks to the Disability Law Center (DLC) and their recent report regarding the poor physical conditions and inappropriate practices in the treatment of persons served at BSH, the situation has been receiving a lot of much needed attention from the public and State Legislators. As advocates for this extremely vulnerable… Continue reading FFIMI Calls for Action on Issues Raised by Disability Law Center’s Report of Bridgewater State Hospital!
Boston Globe - Opinion February 21, 2022 FFIMI agrees that the oversight of Bridgewater State Hospital belongs with the Department of Mental Health, and NOT the Department of Corrections. We agree with writer, Robert Weber of Newton, MA, that without this change, the conditions for the persons served at BSH will not improve. I am… Continue reading Bridgewater Hospital’s woes will go on without change in agency oversight
Family and Friends of Individuals with Mental Illness ~ Advocating for those who are Justice Involved 