Brian Stettin, longtime policy directory of Treatment Advocacy Center, states: " The question lingering in the back of the mind of any advocate is always: Am I making a difference? When the wrong to be righted is deep-seated, complex and decades in the making, there will inevitably be grist for discouragement. But we must never discount the… Continue reading Treatment Advocacy Center’s Brian Stettin Bids Farewell
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
Massachusetts State Senator Cindy F. Friedman has introduced Bill No. S.1034, which can be viewed at https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S1034. Although as many as 20 States have enacted what are known as Guilty But Mentally Ill (GBMI) statutes, the newly proposed Massachusetts bill differs significantly from those other GBMI statutes in a few critical ways. Those differences lead… Continue reading Important Upcoming Legislation – Why FFIMI Supports It and What Sets it Apart
FFIMI is proud to unveil our new logo which is an original design by one of our family member's loved one who is incarcerated. They put a lot of time and thought into its creation and we feel that the design beautifully depicts a foundational element of our mission - the love we hold for… Continue reading FFIMI’s New Logo
FFIMI is Featured in the MGH Center of Excellence Summer Newsletter We are excited to share about an important partnership that has been formed between the MGH COE and FFIMI. They reached out to us to learn about our lived experience and understand our concerns. The result was the formation of The Correctional Psychiatry Working… Continue reading FFIMI Partnership with Mass General Hospital Center of Excellence (COE) for Psychosocial and Systemic Research
Massachusetts needs to find a better way to care for peoplewith mental illness who remain behind bars.By The Editorial Board Updated July 1, 2021, 4:00 a.m Several FFIMI members recently testified at the Commonwealth’s Hearing of the Committee on Mental Health, Substance on Monday June 28th. The hearing lasted for over 5 hours and testimony… Continue reading Making Prisons More Humane – Boston Globe
Photo by Vie Studio on Pexels.com Who is FFIMI? To put it simply we are family and friends of individuals with mental illness. We are people that recognize the fullness and worth of a human being as more than their diagnosis, more than their legal status, more than their struggles. We are people who believe… Continue reading Who We Are
Family and Friends of Individuals with Mental Illness 