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Did you know that Rikers Island is the second largest mental hospital in the country?

Did you know that the suicide rate for people with psychiatric disabilities in prison is 100 times higher compared to others in the main population?

RIPPD (Rights for Imprisoned People with Psychiatric Disabilities) is a grassroots, direct action organization united to demand justice and social change for imprisoned people with psychiatric disabilities. The group was formed when people who have survived the inhumane treatment in the criminal justice system came together to make change by putting pressure on government leaders and elected officials. Our mission states, "We fight the stigma against people with mental illness by demonstrating our courage and empowerment…we will not be ignored. Our voices will be heard."

RIPPD has five main issues that we are working to address. These issues include:

1. More alternatives to incarceration (ATI) such as mental health treatment programs

2. The end of solitary confinement for prisoners with mental illness

3. Increased accountability and training for corrections officers

4. Better mental health treatment inside jails and prisons

5. Discharge planning for every inmate with a psychiatric disability who is released from a jail or prison

In the past few months, RIPPD has worked tirelessly to address the poor mental health services provided by Prison Health Services, a for-profit company hired by the City of New York to provide health and mental health services at Rikers Island. Since being awarded their first contract from the City, people incarcerated at Rikers have received poor or nonexistent mental health services, which have resulted in 16 suicides over the last few years. Despite the poor and inadequate care, the City has recently awarded Prison Health Services a $300 million contract renewal. RIPPD has responded by protesting this contract renewal and fighting against the institutions that allow the current system to exist.

RIPPD is also in the beginning stages of our Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) campaign. The campaign is fighting for an increase in the number of ATI programs in New York City. Mental illness is not a crime, and people caught up in the criminal justice system should be receiving treatment, not punishment.

Although our group offers hope and an alternative view to a broken system, we often face resistance and hostility from those in power. For example, we tried on numerous occasions to meet with Councilwoman Margarita Lopez in order to ask for a public hearing on Prison Health Services, but she refused to hear us or hold the hearing. We were able to meet with the Commissioner of the Department of Correction, Martin Horn, but he chose to ignore and disregard our stories of horrific treatment. As a result, people continue to die from inadequate mental health services.

RIPPD is a group that applies a direct action approach, and we fight to maintain a balance of power. We are directly affected by these issues and strive to hold all those responsible accountable. We have held rallies and protests when all other alternatives were exhausted. We are committed to making our issues known, and WE WILL NOT GO AWAY.

Our ideal vision would be to have ATI so people could receive treatment instead of punishment. Our goal is to have consumers, family members, and community members work as a team to participate in the public policies that govern our criminal justice system, including the mental health treatment programs, prisons and courts.

We encourage and welcome anyone who has a passion for justice to come join us. We meet on the first Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at 666 Broadway, NY, NY 10012 on the 10th floor.

Together we are many and we can stop this inhumane treatment of persons with psychiatric disabilities.