CHRUSP

Mission

The Center for the Human Rights of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (CHRUSP) aims to provide strategic leadership in human rights advocacy, implementation and monitoring relevant to people experiencing or labeled with madness, mental health problems or trauma.

In particular, CHRUSP works for full legal capacity for all, an end to forced drugging, forced electroshock and psychiatric incarceration, and for support that respects individual integrity and free will.

CHRUSP is a user/survivor-run DPO and human rights organization, with Special Consultative Status to UN ECOSOC.

CHRUSP emphasizes advocacy, capacity-building and concept development in five areas related to our mission: promoting consensus on interpretation; law reform; monitoring and enforcement; sharing information and awareness-raising; and extending the normative framework to related issues. See Areas of Work for details.

CHRUSP works at the global level, in cooperation with user/survivor organizations and allies anywhere in the world; and at the national level in the United States, where it originated.

CHRUSP organizes the Absolute Prohibition Campaign, which is open to all people who support the absolute prohibition of commitment and forced treatment, see http://absoluteprohibition.org. Please email us if interested.

CHRUSP also hosts a CRPD Course taught from a survivor of psychiatry perspective; it is currently available for self-directed study at http://crpdcourse.org.

Disability Convention negotiations in Conference Room 4, showing many delegates seated in rows and chair and secretaries on stage in front of room, also a screen with some of the text at the right front.

History

CHRUSP was conceived during the last year of the negotiations of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in 2006. Two of CHRUSP's founders had been involved in the negotiations and wanted to create a human rights organization run by users and survivors of psychiatry, dedicated to the vision of change set out in the Convention as a result of our work. CHRUSP sees its role as complementary to representative organizations like the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (see www.wnusp.net) and regional organizations in Africa, Asia-Pacific Region, Europe, and Latin America. CHRUSP works independently and also with other organizations and independent activists in the user/survivor movement, disability rights movement and human rights community.

About this Website

We hope you will use this website as a resource for materials in human rights advocacy, and to learn more about CHRUSP. We welcome your feedback, ideas and support.

About Us

Video Introduction to the Issues

Here is a video interview with Tina Minkowitz from a DVD called Visions available from www.qldalliance.org.au. The video was made in 2005, while the CRPD was still in process of development.

Segments include:

Introduction, psychiatric disability, CRPD, legal capacity

No deprivation of liberty based on disability

Forced interventions as torture

Outcome of the treaty and references

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Opposition to OHCHR-WHO Legislation Guidance

CHRUSP issued a joint statement with Validity Foundation and the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry, opposing 'Guidance on Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation' that is being launched October 9, 2023,

Joint_Statement_Opposing_OHCHR_WHO_Guidance_Project_Final.docx

Reimagining Crisis Support - a new book

Reimagining Crisis Support: Matrix, Roadmap and Policy by Tina Minkowitz aims to shift the conversation about personal crisis from one based in mental health discourse to one based in a social model of disability and human rights. Download a pdf here; read more and order at-cost paperback or download epub from the book's website.

Amicus to International Criminal Court on insanity defense

The International Criminal Court requested amicus curiae observations in the appeal by Dominic Ongwen of his conviction, who had raised a defense unsuccessfully of criminal non-responsibility due to 'mental disease or defect'. Tina Minkowitz and Robert Fleischner submitted a brief urging the Court to consider the CRPD and adopt a CRPD-compliant alternative.

Using UN Human Rights Mechanisms

A guide to using UN human rights mechanisms for individual complaints and systemic reporting, focusing on issues of concern to users and survivors of psychiatry. pdf word

Peru's Legal Capacity Reform

Peru has enacted the first legal capacity reform that complies with CRPD in its overall approach, despite flaws as indicated in the commentary by Sodis (civil society organization that worked on the reform).

Legislative_Decree_No_1384__Peruvian_legal_capacity_reform_.docx

Analysis of Peru's legal capacity reform

Absolute Prohibition Campaign - a CHRUSP project

In early 2016, over 40 participants in Europe, North America, Latin America, Australia and Asia responded to our call to support the CRPD standard of absolute prohibition of involuntary commitment and treatment, by writing blog posts from their perspectives as survivors, allies, relatives, researchers, activists, and lawyers. Blog posts are compiled at http://absoluteprohibition.org.

Since December of that year, we have connected together through email and teleconferences. Please correspond with CHRUSP if you are interested in getting involved.

CRPD course - a CHRUSP project

CRPD from a survivor of psychiatry perspective, taught by Tina Minkowitz. Currently available for self-directed study, see http://crpdcourse.org.

Key Resource - General Comment No. 1 on Legal Capacity

In 2014, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities issued its first General Comment, addressing states' obligations to ensure universal equal legal capacity. This means that no one can legitimately be deprived of the right to make decisions in their personal lives or to be recognized as actors capable of exercising rights and duties directly in the legal system.

General Comment No. 1 explains that mental capacity cannot justify a removal of legal capacity, including in crisis situations. It acknowledges that forced psychiatric interventions violate Article 12 and cannot be justified. Read here

Key Resource - Guidelines on Article 14

In 2015, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities issued its second key jurisprudential document relevant to the work of CHRUSP - the Guidelines on Article 14, liberty and security of the person.

The Guidelines explain that Article 14 contains an absolute ban on detention based on an actual or perceived impairment, that involuntary hospitalization in mental health services violates Article 12 (legal capacity) in addition to Article 14, and that forced treatment violates Article 15 (freedom from torture and other ill-treatment).

The Guidelines also explain that declarations of incapacity to plead or to be held criminally responsible, and the detention resulting from such declarations contravene Article 14, and that people with disabilities have rights to non-discrimination, accommodations, and inclusive access to programs in the context of legal proceedings and detention.

Donate

CHRUSP is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization, and would appreciate your support. You may also send checks directly to CHRUSP, 44 Palmer Pond Rd., Chestertown, NY 12817.

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Center for the Human Rights of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry