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
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
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.
*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
don’t call the police - directory of community-based alternatives to police by city (Turtle Island/USA)
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
trans lifeline - US (877) 565-8860, Canada (877) 330-6366
trans lifeline - hotlines that avoid police - exceptions and stipulations noted
call blackline - 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!”
fireside project - 62-FIRESIDE (62-34737433)
psychedelic peer support line that provides emotional support during and after psychedelic experiences. call or text 11am-11pm pst
THRIVE lifeline - 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
warmline.org - directory of warmlines by state (warmlines are peer-run support lines)
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
suicide intervention & mad survival tools
everything is awful and i'm not okay: questions to ask before giving up - by project lets
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
non-carceral mental health, care & support resources - free digital zine created by dandelion hill
crisis toolkit by fireweed collective - resources by collective offering mental health education and mutual aid from a healing justice lens
mad survival tools by elliott fukui - mad queer zines, workbooks, etc.
spring up! safety & self-care plan - worksheet by transformative justice org Spring Up
BEAM community care support plan - printable pdf by Black emotional and mental health collective
we keep each other safe: suicide intervention - free community safety webinar by carly boyce via Toronto Prisoners Rights Project
a practical guide to psychiatric advance directives - mhic resource by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration / SAMHSA
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
harm reduction & mutual aid resources
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
wildflower alliance - “a grassroots peer support, advocacy, and training organization with a focus on harm reduction and human rights”
fireweed collective - “offers mental health education and mutual aid through a Healing Justice and Disability Justice lens”
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”
one million experiments - “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.
right to be - free online bystander intervention and anti-oppression training
next distro resources - searchable harm reduction library covering a wide breadth of topics & regions
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
mindfreedom shield - “members of MindFreedom International use mutual support to protect one another from unwanted coerced psychiatric procedures”
harm reduction guide to coming off psychiatric drugs - extensive guide by the icarus project and freedom center
the withdrawal project - initiative supporting those opting to withdraw from psychiatric medications
queer crisis response unit - baltimore city, md; “a growing network of neighbors, allies and service providers committed to supporting queer and trans people in crisis”
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”
national harm reduction coalition - “creates spaces for dialogue and action that help heal the harms caused by racialized drug policies”
maine access points - maine harm reduction org offering overdose reversal and prevention training
REP / relationships evolving possibilities - minneapolis abolitionist org with emphasis on anti-ableist care & organizing
onpoint nyc - nyc harm reduction org with overdose prevention centers, STI testing & more. call (718) 415-3708 to report syringe litter
icarus project nyc resources - peer support groups and educational resources for nyc & beyond
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”
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”
inner fire - residential addiction recovery center for medication-averse
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 provding care outside of oppressive systems (i.e. law enforcement, forced hospitalization, the psychiatric industrial complex)”
neuromancers peer solidarity practitioners - offers our mad and neurodivergent community members free, confidential, 1:1 support
peer collective - online sliding scale ($14-$28) peer counseling
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”
harriet’s apothecary - Black, queer-led healing collective
national queer and trans therapists of color - “a healing justice organization that works to transform mental health for queer and trans people of color”
BEAM / black emotional and mental health collective - trainings, resources & searchable directory of Black therapists
inclusive therapists - searchable directory of BIPOC LGBTQ+ therapists
neurodivergent therapists - searchable directory of neurodivergent therapists specializing in working with neurodivergent people, domestically in the USA & internationally
steven t. licardi - autistic, anti-carceral lcsw/lmsw licensed in new york and virginia
peer-led online support groups
QTPOC space - mondays at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST by fireweed collective
black LGBTQ+ space: a peer support space - 2nd & 4th saturday at 12PM EST
emotional emancipation circle - “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
lotus: a peer support space for LGBTQ+ asians - every 2nd wednesday of the month from 7-8PM EST by peer support space
trans & gnc adult support group - tuesdays & thursdays 6:30-8:30PM EST by brooklyn community pride center
LGBTQ+ PMDD/PME support groups - IAPMD support spaces for those in the LGBTQ+ community suffering from pre-menstrual dysphoria disorders. all three listed groups are enby/trans-led.
celeste’s group - (BIPOC-led space) every monday 2-3 PM EST
miro’s group - (hello! it’s me :) every other tuesday 7-8:30PM EST and every other friday 1-2:30PM EST UPDATE: group will be on pause from 6/21-8/31
bryer’s group - (specifically for trans & non-binary ppl with PMDD/PME) bi-weekly thursdays 6:30-7:30 PST UPDATE: group currently on pause
‘spooned out & plugged in’ (open) - a group for disabled/chronically ill/neurodivergent folks – saturdays 1 PM PST / 4 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
peer-led autism group - every 1st + 3rd thursday of every month from 6:30PM - 8PM EST by peer support space
alternatives to suicide peer support group for adults - every wednesday 6-7:30PM MT by yarrow collective
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
neuromancers constellations - 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
grief and care under capitalism - “monthly grieving space and participatory support group for anyone feeling exploited and exhausted by capitalism”, 1st & 3rd wednesdays from 7-9 PST
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
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
rainbow birth space - “a monthly online gathering for pregnant and expecting LGBTIQA+ folks. pregnancy support, birth and post partum preparation.” 1st monday of the month, time/date in adelaide, australia time and varies
peer-led online social & creative communities
‘healing verses’ (PoC) - “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
neuromancers constellations - 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”
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
SiQ / sick in quarters - “a network of disabled and chronically ill artists and activists, connected to each other and working in collaboration through the internet”; also view here
queer bedtime stories - “tune into the coziest, queerest event from the comfort of your home! QBS Online is a community live-reading event for all LGBTQ+ adults.” multiple dates; free or sliding scale donation
mad in america’s co-arting space - thursdays 7-8PM EST suggested donation $5
butterfly talks - “gathering for LGBTQ+ people of marginalized genders including women, nonbinary friends, and trans men.” 2nd thursdays 6:30-8PM EST by peer support space
disabled babes book club - “a virtual book club for disabled folks & books with disabled representation” 2nd monday of the month 6:30-8PM EST by peer support space
double time: a body doubling group for queer adults with adhd - “virtual space for body doubling; especially useful for those who struggle with executive functioning, task inertia, and ADHD” mondays 6:30-10PM EST
gaming garden: a cozy gaming space - led by peer support space, 2nd & 4th thursdays 6:30-7:30PM EST
IDHA movement calendar - transformative mental health adjacent events calendar; some events irl
peer respites
irl alternatives to psychiatric institutions
kiva centers - “nationally recognized peer-run and trauma-informed organization that offers training, technical assistance, and networking opportunities statewide across massachusetts”
afiya peer respite - wildflower alliance’s respite in northampton, ma
wisconsin peer respites - 6 respites across the state of wisconsin for mental health and addiction recovery
education
digital zine library
mad studies, disability justice, abolition & more
non-carceral mental health, care & support resources, curated by dandelion hill
harm reduction guide to coming off psychiatric drugs by the icarus project & freedom center
an abolitionist faq by mariame kaba & eva nagao
helping your friends who sometimes wanna die maybe not die, zine by carly boyce
asylum magazine issue feature on the history of the spk (sozialistisches patientenkollektiv / socialist patient’s collective - communist patient rights movement
community justice exchange’s safety planning & intimate partner violence toolkit
reimagining crisis support by tina minkowitz
the spk manifesto (sozialistisches patientenkollektiv / socialist patient’s collective - communist patient rights movement
mental health & sexuality: practicing radical consent as a mad person by elliott fukui
what is pod mapping? by autism society of minnesota
surviving the apocalypse together! a mutual aid & wellness planning template by elliott fukui
project lets zine that includes red flags to look for in psychiatrists & guidelines for navigating mental health crises
online libraries
zines for the people - “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
project nia abolitionist zine library
cripple - 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.
asylum magazine back issues - uk mad abolitionist publication; digital back issues free to download
decolonized buffalo g00gle drive - indigenous commie podcast file share covering global decolonial liberation movements & literature
gay shame! a virus in the system - zine and links for anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, anti-assimilation, direct action group based in san francisco.
readings on involuntary treatment - drive of research articles compiled by peer supporter & death worker jess stohlmann-rainey
unsettling mormonism - historical essays and resources revealing mormon/lds history & present practices with an anti-colonial, queer lens
studio ananda - interview archive of global, post-capitalist healing organization founded by fariha roisin
online university of the left - resources for marxist study groups
library genesis - textbooks, etc.
american studies association’s freedom courses
audible anarchist audiobook archive
barnard center for research on women lecture archive
examinfo Black liberation audiobook archive
no new washington prisons zine library
abolition 101 for social workers - webinar archive of abolition in the context of mental healthcare by the network to advance abolitionist social work
(in progress; much more to come <3)