rad care resources
Non-carceral crisis and community resources for those navigating mental & chronic illness, disability, and other marginalized experiences and identities under capitalism.
Please email me with any resources you feel should be added, or with any feedback on the resources listed.
I have not personally vetted all of these resources. Please use care and discernment when engaging with them.
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Community resources committed to abolitionist care that respects human rights and do not involve police, surveillance, involuntary treatment, etc.
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Support groups and accessible community spaces led by and created for survivors/people with lived experience.
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Articles, essays, podcasts and general resources for solidarity and self-advocacy.
non-carceral crisis care
why not 988?
what’s mental “health care” have to do with abolition? why should i not just call any crisis line, and what should i know before i do?* (also, why don’t we call the cops on our friends and community members in crisis?)
“You Can’t Coerce Someone into Wanting to Be Alive”: The Carceral Heart of the 988 Lifeline
article discussing activist and survivor resistance to the initiative
On 988* by Jess Stohlmann-Rainey
what to know before you call, if you call |
important note: while Stohlmann-Rainey says you have a right to refuse medication if institutionalized, survivor and advocate accounts expose that refusal of medication may impact the institution’s decision to release you from institutionalization, as non-compliance may be pathologized.
MIA Survey: Ex-patients Tell of Force, Trauma and Sexual Abuse in America’s Mental Hospitals
be informed, as users and providers, of the human rights risks of institutionalization
Suicide Rates After Discharge From Psychiatric Facilities: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
tl;dr: they’re significantly worse
“There is no abolition without anti-psychiatry”
article published by the campaign for psych abolition collective
*applies also to knowing the risks before voluntarily checking ourselves in to emergency facilities; for prevention and alternative supports, keep scrolling :)
hot & warm lines
many are struggling at this time; bookmark these resources for quick reference so if one hot or warmline is busy you know who you can call as an alternative without compromising your autonomy <3
1 (800) 604-5841
“Call BlackLine® provides a space for peer support, counseling, reporting of mistreatment, witnessing and affirming the lived experiences for folxs who are most impacted by systematic oppression with an LGBTQ+ Black Femme Lens Call BlackLine® prioritizes BIPOC. By us for us. BlackLine now has the option for you to text!”
directory of community-based alternatives to police by city (Turtle Island/USA)
62-FIRESIDE (62-34737433)
psychedelic peer support line that provides emotional support during and after psychedelic experiences. call or text 11am-11pm pst
relationships evolving possibilities hotline
call or text (952) 737-3730
minneapolis 911 alternative hotline for crisis, de-escalation, community resources, etc. fridays & saturdays 7pm-midnight
call, chat or text advocacy for indigenous community in the states
“a digital app designed and developed by Big Human that provides first-responder options for incidents involving mental health, domestic disturbances, non-urgent crimes, homelessness, and more.”
suicide hotline transparency project
spreadsheet of hotlines and warmlines across Turtle Island/USA and beyond, with notes in progress on their human rights policies to aid informed consent of users
text 1 (313) 662-8209
for underrepresented individuals (person of color, LGBTQ2S+, person living with disabilities, neurodiverse, and/or other marginalized identities) experiencing obstacles because of (or simply have questions about) your identities | important note: website states that they do not call police, but they are mandated reporters
US (877) 565-8860, Canada (877) 330-6366
trans lifeline - hotlines that avoid police
exceptions and stipulations noted
directory of warmlines by state (warmlines are peer-run support lines)
suicide intervention & mad survival tools
a practical guide to psychiatric advance directives
mhic resource by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration / SAMHSA
BEAM community care support plan
printable pdf by Black emotional and mental health collective
crisis toolkit by fireweed collective
resources by collective offering mental health education and mutual aid from a healing justice lens
digital care package - on grief
created by the design justice network care pod team
everything is awful and i'm not okay: questions to ask before giving up
by project lets
hearing voices coping strategies
“suggestions for coping with the experiences of hearing voices, and seeing visions and having tactile sensations,” compiled by the manchester hearing voices group
mad survival tools by elliott fukui
mad queer zines, workbooks, etc.
non-carceral mental health, care & support resources
free digital zine created by dandelion hill
zine by @embracing.ambiguity; more mad zines by them here
spring up! safety & self-care plan
worksheet by transformative justice org Spring Up
suicide intervention (for weirdos, freaks & queers)
“A resource with peer and community-based strategies for supporting folks in our lives who might be suicidal, as well as examining the beliefs and structures that keep suicide conversations under wraps.” free digital zine and resources by carly boyce
tips on writing a crisis support plan
zine by campaign for psychiatric abolition
we keep each other safe: suicide intervention
free community safety webinar by carly boyce via Toronto Prisoners Rights Project
harm reduction & mutual aid resources
bay area transformative justice collective
“a community group based out of oakland, ca working to build and support transformative justice responses to child sexual abuse”
“an organization dedicated to improving care, expanding options and empowering everyone to chart their end-of-life journey”
doxxing prevention harm reduction training
free resource from hacking//hustling including precautions before, during and after being doxxed
“offers mental health education and mutual aid through a Healing Justice and Disability Justice lens”
grief and psychedelics resource list
compiled / curated by people of color psychedelic collective
harm reduction guide to coming off psychiatric drugs
extensive guide by the icarus project and freedom center
how to talk to your loved ones about covid
the pandemic isn’t over! thorough resource “modeled after & heavily inspired by” by Ruby Levine, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha and Tina “constant tt” Zavitsanos
“a self-advocacy guide for anyone who is homebound or bedbound in the u.s. special focus on folks with myalgic encephalomyelitis (sometimes called “chronic fatigue syndrome”). if you are not lucky enough to have ME or CFS, you are still welcome to use this guide.”
includes: disability guides, affordable housing guides, home care guides, financial survival guides, homebound guides and more <3
peer support groups and educational resources for nyc & beyond
residential addiction recovery center for medication-averse
hosts a curation of linked resources including mutual aid, Black trans-centered financial assistance, reproductive rights and mental health within their anti-colonial, anti-carceral network of providers rooted in disability, racial, and 2SLGBTQIA+ justice
MAAP / material aid & advocacy program
cambridge, ma org “support(s) and empower(s) unhoused and underhoused community members, through material aid, access to resources, organizing support and advocacy opportunities”
maine harm reduction org offering overdose reversal and prevention training
“members of MindFreedom International use mutual support to protect one another from unwanted coerced psychiatric procedures”
national harm reduction coalition
“creates spaces for dialogue and action that help heal the harms caused by racialized drug policies”. extensive resources page for sex work and a range of drug use
neuromancers solar survival support
“Black led community organisation, centring multiply marginalised BPOC through mutual aid and wealth redistribution...using community power to work personally and directly with neurodivergent individuals who need aid” UPDATE 1/5/25: all neuromancers links & programming on hold atm; stay tuuuuned!
searchable harm reduction library covering a wide breadth of topics & regions, including: safer injection/use, wound care, drug overdose, drug user unions, sexual & reproductive health, hiv/hcv, drug specific, drug treatment, parenting, gender identity, sex work, covid-19.
next distro mutual aid / harm reduction directory
page for their organization’s team, but scroll down to “affiliate partners” for links to a variety of nationwide organizations
nyc harm reduction org with overdose prevention centers, STI testing & more. call (718) 415-3708 to report syringe litter
“exploring snapshots of community-based projects that expand our ideas about what keeps us safe.” searchable directory of mutual aid and collective care projects nationwide.
online sex worker safety guide
“practical harm reduction guide” by hacking//hustling
baltimore city, md; “a growing network of neighbors, allies and service providers committed to supporting queer and trans people in crisis”
REP / relationships evolving possibilities
minneapolis abolitionist org with emphasis on anti-ableist care & organizing
free online bystander intervention and anti-oppression training
safer movements collective resources
multiple categories including: accountability, conflict transformation, community accountability & transformative justice, disability justice, healing, intimate partner abuse, misogynoir / colorism / anti-blackness, and safety planning
TMAPS / transformative mutual aid practices
“(T-MAPs) are a set of tools that provide space for building a personal “map” of wellness strategies, resilience practices, unique stories, and community resources”
vigilant love toolkits & resources
vigilant love is an organization focused on surveillance, especially but not only in mental health, with an emphasis on communities most impacted by the ‘war on terror’ domestically
“a grassroots peer support, advocacy, and training organization with a focus on harm reduction and human rights”
initiative supporting those opting to withdraw from psychiatric medications
resources for sex workers, therapists, on sexuality, Black liberation and more
peer support spaces
1:1 peer support providers
note: not all mental health professionals or peer supporters linked are necessarily non-carceral unless specified
abolitionist centered care provider database
“a collective resource of abolition-centered, non-carceral care providers (therapists, social workers, peer supporters, healers) that are dedicated to providing care outside of oppressive systems (i.e. law enforcement, forced hospitalization, the psychiatric industrial complex)”
BEAM / black emotional and mental health collective
trainings, resources & searchable directory of Black therapists
the black, african and asian therapy network
uk-based directory of counselors and psychotherapists of Black, african, asian and caribbean heritage
Black, queer-led healing collective
searchable directory of BIPOC LGBTQ+ therapists
kindred southern healing justice collective
“a network of grassroots energy, body and earth based healers and health practitioners seeking to create mechanisms for wellness and safety that respond, intervene and transform conditions of generational trauma and violence in our communities and movements”
“LWN provides a safe space for historically oppressed people harmed by traditional healthcare settings. here you’ll find practitioners rooted in disability, racial, and 2SLGBTQIA+ justice and anti-carceral, anti-colonial, and liberation frameworks.”
national queer and trans therapists of color
“a healing justice organization that works to transform mental health for queer and trans people of color”
searchable directory of neurodivergent therapists specializing in working with neurodivergent people, domestically in the USA & internationally
neuromancers peer solidarity practitioners
offers our mad and neurodivergent community members free, confidential, 1:1 support UPDATE 1/5/25: all neuromancers links & programming on hold atm; stay tuuuuned!
online sliding scale ($14-$28) peer counseling
sex worker-led mental health coaching
peer-led online support groups
support groups and educational offerings include:
grief and care under capitalism
still on earth: care and support group for survivors
medical aid in dying and vsed grief support
suicide supper
and more! <3
alternatives to suicide peer support group for adults
every wednesday 6-7:30PM MT by yarrow collective
variety of events care-fully tended by kayla carter & carmen galvan. current upcoming events include “grief & parentification”, “grief & disordered eating” and “grief & body dysmorphia”. @bipocdeathgrieftalk on instagram.
black LGBTQ+ space: a peer support space
2nd & 4th saturday at 12PM EST
queer, trans and sex worker led cooperative bookstore in nyc hosts in-person and online events including ‘trans-parency: a support group for trans/GNC parents and caregivers’ and more; listed on their eventbrite
chronic illness & disability peer support group
every other thursday 3:30-5PM MT by yarrow collective
co-reflection groups for peer support workers
2nd wednesdays of the month, 12-1PM MT by yarrow collective
community care clinic for disabled and chronically ill movement folks
“an ongoing community care peer support space aimed at expanding possibilities around how we live and work as disabled and chronically ill people” by peoples hub, dates and times vary
desi rainbow LGBTQIA+ support group
for south asian community on 1st tuesdays at 9PM EST; more groups listed here
“a virtual healing space for Black folks to process stress and learn tools for emotional wellness” - bi-weekly wednesdays at 7PM EST by wildseed society in collaboration with the association of Black psychologists & community healing network
grief space / eyes on palestine
community space for processing collective & personal grief over the genocide in palestine. mondays 7-8pm EST
LGBTQ+ PMDD/PME support groups
IAPMD support spaces for those in the LGBTQ+ community suffering from pre-menstrual dysphoria disorders. both listed groups are enby/trans-led.
UPDATE: both groups are currently on pause; check IAMPD’s eventbrite for general PMDD support.
celeste’s group - (BIPOC-led space) every monday 2-3 PM EST UPDATE: group currently on pause
miro’s group - (hello! it’s me :) every other tuesday 7-8:30PM EST and every other friday 1-2:30PM EST UPDATE: group currently on pause
multiple support groups, articles and treatment resources listed, compiled by health rising (me/cfs and fibromyalgia organization)
lotus: a peer support space for LGBTQ+ asians
every 2nd wednesday of the month from 7-8PM EST by peer support space
neurodivergent peer solidarity discord support groups by Black & queer-led collective neuromancers (sign up to access dates & times) which include:
neurodivergent caregivers - “this is a constellation for caregivers who also identify with the neurodivergent label”
psych trauma survivors - “by psych trauma, we mean trauma from any aspect of the mental health industrial complex of psy-disciplines, whether it be therapy, inpatient, psychiatric, ABA, or anything else”
space cadets - “a trauma-informed peer support group for people who experience dissociation and/or who identify as trauma survivors”
alt-brained - “structured peer support in navigating our sensory, social, and internal worlds”
the disorderlies - “support to people who identify with the Cluster B umbrella without stigma, shame, or carceral logic”
multi-dimensional minds - “for those on the schizophrenia spectrum, focusing on our interpersonal relationships and social interactions”
divergent delinquents - “this is a constellation for neurodivergent youth - who may also be queer, trans, BPOC, and disabled - as a space to make connections, learn, grow and engage in political education. this group is discord based for ages 14-16 only”
and more! <3
UPDATE 1/5/25: all neuromancers links & programming on hold atm; stay tuuuuned!
free - low-cost online groups compiled by @embracing.ambiguity; submissions welcome
every 1st + 3rd thursday of every month from 6:30PM - 8PM EST by peer support space
mondays at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST by fireweed collective
“a supportive space for queers, sex workers, drug users, suicidal comrades, and beautiful radicals” held by Kleopatra Black and Dandelion Hill, 4th wednesdays at 5PM EST
“we welcome individuals from every facet of the sex work industry, who understand the challenges of whorephobia and are actively engaged in their own personal growth to foster inclusivity and respect for the diversity of their colleagues.” by zepp wellness
sex working therapist support group
‘spooned out & plugged in’ (open)
a group for disabled/chronically ill/neurodivergent folks – fridays 4 PM PST / 7 PM EST by fireweed collective
‘spooned out & plugged in’ (PoC)
a group for BIPOC disabled/chronically ill/neurodivergent folks – saturdays 11 AM PST / 2 PM EST by fireweed collective
“a support group for people with lived experience of chronic illness/disability and eating disorder(s) by hold coalition on 4th Sundays at 2pm EST
survivors of the child welfare system: fostering friendships
“a non-clinical, peer-led space facilitated by Black survivors of the child welfare system for fellow survivors (18+)”, bi-weekly Thursdays 7-8 EST
trans & gnc adult support group
tuesdays & thursdays 6:30-8:30PM EST by brooklyn community pride center
under the umbrella and on the spectrum
“a group for trans and gender non-conforming autistic folks”, second sundays 1PM EST by hold coalition
peer-led online social & creative communities
queer, trans and sex worker led cooperative bookstore in nyc hosts in-person and online events including queer book club nights and more; listed on their eventbrite
“a virtual book club for disabled folks & books with disabled representation” 2nd monday of the month 6:30-8PM EST by peer support space
more groups listed here!
gaming garden: a cozy gaming space
led by peer support space, 2nd & 4th thursdays 6:30-7:30PM EST
“a Healing Justice approach to collective poetry crafting for POC folks. Inspired By Trelani Michelle” – tuesdays 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST by fireweed collective
if you give a trans person a book club
“from basically wonderful and peer support space “If You Give A Trans Person A Book Club is a virtual book club for trans folks and books with trans representation!
this group is for anyone who is trans/transgender, non-binary, gender queer, gender fluid, gender non-conforming, gender questioning/curious, or is otherwise part of the gender-diverse community.” 3rd mondays at 6:30-8pm EST
multiple groups [for queer community] listed off & on, including:
on the spectrum
for queer immigrants and families
for bipoc neurodivergents
double time (body-doubling for queer adhd’ers)
and more! <3
mad liberation (audio)book club
“we are a small(ish) reading group that studies mad liberation and disability justice texts while centering accessibility”; mondays 6:30-7:30 EST
neurodivergent peer solidarity discord social groups (sign up to access dates & times) which include:
creative wellbeing - “an open space to all NEUROMANCERS for creative sharing, collaboration and exploration”
neurodiversity whatsapp group - “a chill space for sharing experiences, building connections, and asking questions in a community of anti-oppressive neurodivergent and neuro-curious people from around the world”
late bloomers - “for older neurodivergent, disabled, & mad people to connect and grow”
neuroqueers - “a constellation for queer neurodivergents to be gay, build community and do *alleged* crime”
divergent delinquents - “for neurodivergent youth - who may also be queer, trans, BPOC, and disabled - as a space to make connections, learn, grow and engage in political education”
abolitionist analysis - “prisoner solidarity letter writing and community social analysis space, run in collaboration with Anticarceral Solidarity”
UPDATE 1/5/25: all neuromancers links & programming on hold atm; stay tuuuuned!
neuromancers writers collective
“group to collaborate with others to explore ideas of liberation & abolition through the lens of neurodiversity for NEUROMANCERS Magazine”; Black and queer nd voices prioritized UPDATE 1/5/25: all neuromancers links & programming on hold atm; stay tuuuuned!
“tune into the coziest, queerest event from the comfort of your home! QBS Online is a community live-reading event for all LGBTQ+ adults.” on & off, more frequently scheduled in-person in the bay area; free or sliding scale donation
“a network of disabled and chronically ill artists and activists, connected to each other and working in collaboration through the internet”; also view here
“the suicide love notes program is designed for suicidal people, by suicidal people. in short, we are a virtual art exhibition featuring community submissions. each month we release a prompt and call for submissions…”
peer respites
irl alternatives to psychiatric institutions
compiled by the national empowerment center
wildflower alliance’s respite in northampton, ma
“nationally recognized peer-run and trauma-informed organization that offers training, technical assistance, and networking opportunities statewide across massachusetts”
6 respites across the state of wisconsin for mental health and addiction recovery
education
digital zine library
mad studies, disability justice, abolition & more
asylum magazine feature on the history of the spk collective - communist patient rights movement
harm reduction guide to coming off psychiatric drugs by the icarus project & freedom center
helping your friends who sometimes wanna die maybe not die, zine by carly boyce
project lets zine that includes red flags to look for in psychiatrists & guidelines for navigating mental health crises
mental health & sexuality: practicing radical consent as a mad person by elliott fukui
tips for packing go-bags for at-risk [to domestic violence, state violence, etc.] comrades
non-carceral mental health, care & support resources, curated by dandelion hill
psychiatry’s role in the occupation of palestine by campaign for psych abolition
reimagining crisis support by tina minkowitz
community justice exchange’s safety planning & intimate partner violence toolkit
surviving the apocalypse together! a mutual aid & wellness planning template by elliott fukui
the spk manifesto (sozialistisches patientenkollektiv / socialist patient’s collective - communist patient rights movement
an abolitionist faq by mariame kaba & eva nagao
what is pod mapping? by autism society of minnesota
online libraries, etc.
abolition 101 for social workers
webinar archive of abolition in the context of mental healthcare by the network to advance abolitionist social work
american studies association’s freedom courses
uk mad abolitionist publication; digital back issues free to download
audible anarchist audiobook archive
barnard center for research on women lecture archive
black panther newspaper archive
1967-1976
linktree with multiple zines and resources on mad abolition and harm reduction subjects
center for liberatory practice & poetry
“an experiment in access-centered political education for collective autonomy and governance beyond the state”
curated list of free disability, disability justice and accessibility resources and articles by disabled artist emily sara. excellent introduction to issues of ableism, access, etc.
examinfo Black liberation audiobook archive
gay shame! a virus in the system
zine and links for anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, anti-assimilation, direct action group based in san francisco.
textbooks, etc.; link often changes, so try: https://libgen.is/ , https://libgen.rs/ , https://libgen.st/ , https://libgen.gs/ , https://libgen.li/
see also: top ten textbook torrenting sites
articles, blogs, research and podcast that aims to center those with lived experience of “madness”
periodical by psychiatric survivors, mad, disabled & neurodivergent people from the 70’s & 80’s
muslim abolitionist futures ‘war on terror’ syllabus
more resources available on muslim abolitionist futures website
no new washington prisons zine library
resources for marxist study groups
1980-1990 periodical by psychiatric survivors
psychiatric abolition education
curated by campaign for psychiatric abolition
project nia abolitionist zine library
readings on involuntary treatment
drive of research articles compiled by peer supporter & death worker jess stohlmann-rainey
historical essays and resources revealing mormon/lds history & present practices with an anti-colonial, queer lens
“a growing [abolitionist] library of printable, downloadable, and sharable study materials to share with fellow students, organizers, workers, teachers, reading groups, freedom schools, unions, etc.” from the 1800s to present
(in progress; more to come <3)