Florida Mental Health Watchdog Hosts Weekly Educational Events on Patient Rights and Alternative Treatments

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida, an award-winning nonprofit mental health watchdog organization, hosts weekly educational events to inform Floridians about critical mental health issues. These events cover topics ranging from patient rights under mental health law to the identification of physical conditions that can mimic psychiatric disorders.

Operating from its new offices in downtown Clearwater, CCHR has conducted over one thousand events featuring attorneys, doctors, and clinical pharmacists as guest speakers. These professionals provide comprehensive information on Florida's mental health law, commonly known as the Baker Act, and educate attendees about their legal rights within the mental health system.

Attorney Carmen Miller, a former assistant public defender with direct experience representing Baker Act clients, regularly conducts seminars on mental health legislation. Miller has hosted Advanced Mental Health Directive workshops where participants learn about psychiatric living wills and how these documents can protect individuals from unwanted treatments such as electroshock therapy. More information about these legal protections can be found at https://www.cchr.org.

The organization's educational programs also address the physical underpinnings of mental health symptoms. During the "Psychiatric Disorders & Their Underlying Physical Causes" seminar, Alternative Medicine Professional Dr. Jared Roscoe explains how psychiatric drugs affect the body and why they may hinder rather than promote healing. Clinical Pharmacist Pamela Seefeld discusses the potentially devastating side effects of psychotropic medications on children and presents natural treatment alternatives.

These complimentary seminars and workshops rotate monthly, covering diverse aspects of mental health care, misdiagnosis prevention, and patient advocacy. The events serve as a public service initiative, providing community members with knowledge about how nutritional deficiencies and undiagnosed physical conditions can lead to incorrect mental health labels. Additional resources on mental health human rights are available at https://www.cchrflorida.org.

The ongoing educational initiative represents a significant effort to increase public awareness about mental health rights and treatment alternatives in Florida. By providing access to legal and medical professionals, CCHR enables community members to make more informed decisions about mental health care and understand their protections under state law.