ALERT: Say 'No' to NY State Forced Electroshock!

Sat Jul 7 16:50:52 CDT 2007

MindFreedom International Alert - 7 July 2007 - please forward
http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/mental-health-abuse/electroshock

    HUMAN RIGHTS ALERT:

    New York State wins in court to give more forced electroshock to  
"Simone D."

    Simone D.: "Electroshock causes more pain! I suffer more from  
shock treatment!"

    How you can easily use the web to say "No!" to four key NY State  
officials!

The State of New York won its battle in court to order even more  
forced electroshock for Creedmoor Psychiatric Center inmate "Simone  
D.," who has already had more than 200 electroshocks, also known as  
electroconvulsive therapy or ECT.

Now it is time for the international court of public opinion to weigh  
in!

Here is how you can easily use the web to speak out and say "No!" to  
this overwhelming human rights abuse. It takes only a moment... about  
as long as an electroshock.

The New York Court of Appeals recently upheld a lower court order  
forcing Simone D., an inmate at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, to  
undergo 30 more electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatments against  
her will.

Simone D.'s attorney Dennis Feld said, "Her battle cry has been  
muffled by her being primarily a Spanish language speaker in a unit  
where no one except her MHLS on-site attorney speaks Spanish."

Court records reveal that when approached by the State clinicians for  
her to submit to more electroshock, Simone stated clearly enough in  
Spanish that, "Electroshock causes more pain! I suffer more from  
shock treatment!"

New York State's Office of Mental Health (OMH) has a long-standing  
policy of vigorously pursuing legal action to force ECT on unwilling  
people whom it determines are not capable of making their own  
decisions. Interestingly, the capacity of people who agree to ECT is  
never called into question.

To read two updates from Simone D's attorney Dennis Feld about her  
court hearings go here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/mental-health-abuse/electroshock/simone- 
d/200705

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/mental-health-abuse/electroshock/simone- 
d/200707

It's time for us all to speak up and demand that New York State end  
this appalling, inhumane practice!

It just takes a moment to use e-mail to contact the below four New  
York State officials! If you can also phone or write that is helpful,  
but at least e-mail them!

Let New York State officials know that forced ECT is wrong and must  
be stopped!

A draft sample message is included below, though using your own words  
and personal experiences are encouraged. Please be civil but firm.

Please contact these New York State officials immediately!

  ** Gov. Eliot Spitzer:

Complete the web form at: http://161.11.121.121/govemail  Phone:  
(518) 474-8390. Fax: 518-474-1513.

  ** Lieutenant Gov. David Paterson:

He is legally blind and has been charged by the Governor with dealing  
with disability issues. Complete the web form at: http:// 
161.11.121.121/emailltgov Phone: (518) 474-4623. Fax: (518) 486-4170

  ** OMH Commissioner Michael Hogan:

Complete the web form at: http://www.omh.state.ny.us/omhweb/email/ 
feedback.asp  Phone: (518) 474-4403 Fax: (518) 474-2149.

  ** Peter M. Rivera, Chair, New York State Assembly Standing  
Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Developmental  
Disabilities.

Email: riverap at assembly.state.ny.us Phone: (718) 931-2620. Write:  
1973 Westchester Avenue; Bronx, NY 10462 USA.

~~~~~~~~~

Draft sample message - though your own words are best:

~~~~~~~~~

Dear ___________:

     The New York Court of Appeals recently upheld a lower court  
order forcing Simone D., an inmate at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center,  
to undergo 30 more electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatments against  
her will. Ms. D. has already been subjected to more than 200 ECT  
sessions.

     It is time for the State to reverse the New York Office of  
Mental Health's long-standing policy of vigorously pursuing legal  
action to force ECT on people who do not want this controversial  
intervention. We believe it is time to revise the laws that allow  
forced electroshock. ECT is of questionable efficacy, but it does  
have well-documented serious side-effects effects, including  
permanent memory loss. This memory loss can be so severe that people  
may not recognize family members or be able to practice their  
professions. This is an invasive irreversible intervention.

     The World Health Organization has called for a ban of  
involuntary electroshock. It is time that New York ends such shameful  
practices.

     New York Office of Mental Health Commissioner Michael Hogan  
chaired the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health,  
which promoted the idea that people with psychiatric disabilities  
must direct their own care in order for recovery to be possible. This  
stands in stark contradiction to OMH's zealous legal activities to  
force ECT on those who do not want it.

     We call on the State of New York to renounce this harmful  
policy, and on the Governor to propose legislation that would end the  
possibility of ECT being forced on any citizen.

     Sincerely,

     [Your name & address.]

~~~~~~~~~

This alert is also on the MindFreedom web site with hyperlinks to the  
four NY officials along with additional information:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/kb/mental-health-abuse/electroshock/simone-d

or use:

http://tinyurl.com/262xma

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

URGENT: Please act IMMEDIATELY. Then FORWARD this alert to all  
appropriate places on and off the Internet! Add a brief personal note  
that you have acted, and you encourage your friends, colleagues and  
relatives to act too!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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