About Families ACT!

We are a growing group of families who have been heavily impacted by psychological disorders and co-occurring drug dependence in our loved ones. We have experienced a serious gap in services for these problems, which has increased the risks of incarceration, homelessness and death for our family members and created extreme stress on families and friends. Our experiences are not isolated ones. Thousands of American families are experiencing the tragic consequences of current policies which result in neglect. Respecting and utilizing the experience of affected families, our intention is to support and empower each other while advocating for compassionate and effective treatment for those with mood/thought disorders and substance abuse issues. We believe that by standing together, we will be able to assist each other and change the way our society treats those with mental illness and addiction.

We are moms and dads, sisters and brothers, spouses and children who struggle with or have (or had) a family member struggling with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorder, etc., and co-occurring substance use. Some of us have lost our loved one to suicide, drug overdose, or an encounter with law-enforcement. We grieve together and seek to help others who are struggling as we have, to avoid unnecessary tragedy.

Families ACT! sprang out of a cluster of tragic deaths among young dually diagnosed adults in Santa Barbara in the winter of 2005-06. Families ACT! was founded in 2007 to address the whole range of injustices inherent in current policies that have led to the neglect as well as the criminalization of a significant portion of our society and the erosion of constitutional rights under the guise of "public safety." Our initiatives have emerged from the collective pain and the wisdom of the more than sixty mothers who have attended our monthly support/action meetings, and those who sit on our board. We are pressing for fundamental change in both our mental health and criminal justice systems for a shift from a punitive to a rehabilitative approach. We know that people with a mood or thought disorder who self-medicate must be offered compassionate and effective treatment as an alternative and/or an adjunct to incarceration.

Accomplishments

• A standing-room-only Town Hall Meeting in May 2007

• An eye-opening article in the Independent entitled “The Revolving Door”

• “Voices for Change,” a 16 minute documentary about the dually diagnosed.

• The Santa Barbara Task Force on Co-Occurring Disorders convened in 2008

• “How to Navigate the System” workshops have received seed funding

• Family Support Fund to provide financial aid to families in crisis.

• Ongoing advocacy services for families in

negotiating treatment options instead of jail

Our Team

Suzanne Riordan, M.Ed

Families ACT! Coordinator & Family Advocate

Suzanne is a healer, an author, an artist, a networker, a social reformer and an activist. She grew up in Europe, Africa and Washington D.C. and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morrocco in the 70's. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a BA in International Relations and from the University of California in Santa Barbara with a Master's in Education. Suzanne helped to found the Fellowship for Intentional Communities, the Santa Barbara Homeless Coalition and the Santa Barbara Single Parent Alliance. She helped to create the Santa Barbara Wellness Directory and in the late 1990's was inspired to create Dancing From the Heart, a powerful community dance event. She helped to create Families ACT! after her son, Ian, died in 2005 at 23 years of age.

Action Committee

Co-chairs: Catherine Birtalan and Suzanne Riordan

Webmaster

Mark Westwind

We need YOUR help! Be a voice for change, join Families ACT!

Organizational development support provided by The Praxis Group


	About Families ACT! Meet Our Board Meet Our Advisors Meet Our Funders and Sponsors We are a growing group of families who have been heavily impacted by psychological disorders and co-occurring drug dependence in our loved ones. We have experienced a serious gap in services for these problems, which has increased the risks of incarceration, homelessness and death for our family members and created extreme stress on families and friends. Our experiences are not isolated ones. Thousands of American families are experiencing the tragic consequences of current policies which result in neglect. Respecting and utilizing the experience of affected families, our intention is to support and empower each other while advocating for compassionate and effective treatment for those with mood/thought disorders and substance abuse issues. We believe that by standing together, we will be able to assist each other and change the way our society treats those with mental illness and addiction. We are moms and dads, sisters and brothers, spouses and children who struggle with or have (or had) a family member struggling with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorder, etc., and co-occurring substance use. Some of us have lost our loved one to suicide, drug overdose, or an encounter with law-enforcement. We grieve together and seek to help others who are struggling as we have, to avoid unnecessary tragedy. Families ACT! sprang out of a cluster of tragic deaths among young dually diagnosed adults in Santa Barbara in the winter of 2005-06. Families ACT! was founded in 2007 to address the whole range of injustices inherent in current policies that have led to the neglect as well as the criminalization of a significant portion of our society and the erosion of constitutional rights under the guise of "public safety." Our initiatives have emerged from the collective pain and the wisdom of the more than sixty mothers who have attended our monthly support/action meetings, and those who sit on our board. We are pressing for fundamental change in both our mental health and criminal justice systems for a shift from a punitive to a rehabilitative approach. We know that people with a mood or thought disorder who self-medicate must be offered compassionate and effective treatment as an alternative and/or an adjunct to incarceration. Accomplishments • A standing-room-only Town Hall Meeting in May 2007 • An eye-opening article in the Independent entitled “The Revolving Door” • “Voices for Change,” a 16 minute documentary about the dually diagnosed. • The Santa Barbara Task Force on Co-Occurring Disorders convened in 2008 • “How to Navigate the System” workshops have received seed funding • Family Support Fund to provide financial aid to families in crisis. • Ongoing advocacy services for families in negotiating treatment options instead of jail Our Team Suzanne Riordan, M.Ed Families ACT! Coordinator & Family Advocate Suzanne is a healer, an author, an artist, a networker, a social reformer and an activist. She grew up in Europe, Africa and Washington D.C. and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morrocco in the 70's. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a BA in International Relations and from the University of California in Santa Barbara with a Master's in Education. Suzanne helped to found the Fellowship for Intentional Communities, the Santa Barbara Homeless Coalition and the Santa Barbara Single Parent Alliance. She helped to create the Santa Barbara Wellness Directory and in the late 1990's was inspired to create Dancing From the Heart, a powerful community dance event. She helped to create Families ACT! after her son, Ian, died in 2005 at 23 years of age. Action Committee Co-chairs: Catherine Birtalan and Suzanne Riordan Webmaster Mark Westwind We need YOUR help! Be a voice for change, join Families ACT! Organizational development support provided by The Praxis Group