For our supporters, partners, and those who believe in alternatives to hospitalization, MHLAC presents our social media toolkit. Please share far and wide to get this bill passed!
What are peer respites?
The #PeerRespites for MA campaign began with the introduction of a life-saving bill to provide alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization and involuntary outpatient commitment. S.1238/H.3602, ‘An Act establishing peer-run respite centers throughout the Commonwealth’ was introduced in January, 2023 by Wildflower Alliance, Thomas Brown, and the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee. It is sponsored by Senator Jo Comerford and Representatives Lindsay Sabadosa and Smitty Pignatelli. The bill establishes at least one peer respite per each of 14 counties in Massachusetts including two BIPOC respites and the first two LGBTIQA+ peer respites in the world!
Peer respites are a place where people can go to stay for up to two weeks and where they will have their own private room and access to peer-to-peer support throughout their time there. UPeer respites allow people the autonomy to navigate their crises as they need to and are peer run, where staff have similar lived experience(s) and can relate uniquely to someone experiencing a crisis.
Purpose of this toolkit
To help pass this bill, this toolkit is for interested partner organizations, advocates, and individuals to spread awareness and education about what peer respites are and how they address involuntary commitments, such as forced hospitalization when going through a crisis. Our kit contains graphics, captions, and more that you can use to raise awareness of peer respites!
Peer Respite Bill Info Center (wildfloweralliance.org)
For the latest peer respite legislative updates and news,
visit Wildflower Alliance’s Peer Respite Info and Action Center!
How Can I Help?
1. Tell 5 people about why we need to pass the peer respite legislative bill (friends, neighbors, coworkers!)
2. FYI: FYR! Find your representative HERE and tell them to vote yes on S.1238/H.3602, ‘An Act establishing peer-run respite centers throughout the Commonwealth’ !
3. Download and share one of our social media examples to your own accounts; use #PeerRespitesforMA so we can see it and reshare!
4. Join a Legislative Advocacy Storytelling training! Provided for FREE by MHLAC attorneys and experts in mental health, these trainings are to help people learn how to use their story/stories to enact change.
Our next VIRTUAL trainings will be:
Monday, April 29th at 11am – Register here!
Tuesday, April 30th at 6pm – Register here!
5. Join Wildflower Alliance’s newsletter
The joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery will vote on this bill by May 15th
HELP US get this bill passed!
Hashtags
#PeerRespitesforMA
#PeerRespites #MentalHealth #MentalHealthRights #LegislativeAdvocacy #InvoluntaryCommittment #InvoluntaryOutpatientCommittment #WildflowerAlliance #MHLAC #Boston #Massachusetts
Sample social media posts:
- Join us in supporting the movement towards establishing a peer-run respite within every county in Massachusetts. Your support could impact the lives of many who are facing mental health crises. #PeerRespitesforMA
- Currently, there are only three peer-run respite centers in Massachusetts. Help us change that and join the movement to establish at least one peer-run respite in each Massachusetts county. #PeerRespitesforMA
- Have you contacted your legislator to tell them to vote yes to an act establishing peer respites yet? You still have time, the vote is May 15th. Call your legislatures now! #PeerRespitesforMA
- Peer respites are a critical alternative to traditional mental health interventions. Click the link in our bio to learn more! …
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