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News & Blog2022-05-26T06:06:00+00:00

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Is Calling a Crisis Line Safe? – “Anonymous & confidential” is often a lie.

Crisis hotlines covertly trace some calls, and callers are shocked to get visited by police and incarcerated in psychiatric hospitals. Learn how, how often, and why it happens – and how to protect yourself.

1602, 2023

Castanet: Author whose father was forcibly treated at Kelowna General Hospital warns of the dangers of involuntary care

By |February 16th, 2023|

From Castanet:

The author of a new book is speaking out against the push for more involuntary care in the rush to deal with the opioid crisis and the rising number of people living with homelessness in B.C.

Rob Wipond’s latest work is titled “Your Consent Is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment, and Abusive Guardianships.”

Wipond says his own father was detained against his will and forcibly treated at Kelowna General Hospital in the late 90s, and that was the genesis of the book.

Read the rest of the story and interview with Rob on Castanet.

1602, 2023

Short Vid 2: Psychiatric Bed “Shortage” or Incarceration Overload?

By |February 16th, 2023|

Do we really have a “shortage” of psychiatric hospital beds as is commonly claimed? Two internal US government studies, along with other data, show that the number of psychiatric beds is dramatically higher than is commonly recognized. So who’s behind the disinformation campaign, and with what intention?

802, 2023

Rob Wipond on “A Little More Conversation with Ben O’Hara-Byrne”

By |February 8th, 2023|

On Global’s Corus radio stations across Canada on January 30, 2023, Ben O’Hara-Byrne talked with Rob Wipond about Your Consent Is Not Required and current issues in the news about involuntary psychiatric treatment. The interview is 15 minutes — Click here to listen.

1901, 2023

Short Vid 1: How Psychiatric Fraud Drives Forced Hospitalizations

By |January 19th, 2023|

First in a series of short (3-4 minute) videos about some of the more startling, disturbing, and shocking things I learned while working on my book Your Consent Is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment, and Abusive Guardianships. In this video, I describe cases of mass-scale fraudulent involuntary psychiatric commitments, and recount a little of my interview with a representative from the US Department of Justice and Medicare Fraud Strike Force.

 

1012, 2022

Committable: “988”

By |December 10th, 2022|

In November, Jesse Mangan interviewed me for his podcast Committable. We discussed my research into the new 988 mental health hotline in the US and its practices of getting calls traced and callers forcibly hospitalized. A 988 number is now also scheduled to come to Canada. Click here to check out the episode.

 

 

2911, 2020

SAMHSA-National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Call-Tracing Documents and Data

By |November 29th, 2020|

Information obtained through freedom of information access about tracing of calls by US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline centers.

807, 2019

Hostpapa Review (or Hostpapa’s Scam, and what you should know about all “low-cost” web hosting providers)

By |July 8th, 2019|

A review of Hostpapa and explanation of a common scam that cheap web hosting companies engage in.

1801, 2018

The Launch of Inner Compass Initiative and The Withdrawal Project

By |January 18th, 2018|

I am proud to have helped develop these two websites, contributing researching, writing and editing for them. One of the most significant elements is the development of the most comprehensive, self-directed, layperson’s guide to safer psychiatric drug withdrawal ever produced. I include below further details from the organization’s executive director.
Rob

********************

I am writing with news that I’ve been eagerly anticipating sharing with you for quite some time. On behalf of my fellow co-founders and a growing number of volunteers, advisors, supporters, and contributors, I am incredibly excited to announce the launch of Inner Compass Initiative (ICI), a new 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and ICI’s first major effort, The Withdrawal Project (TWP).

Our mission is to provide information, resources, tools, and connecting platforms ?to facilitate

603, 2016

Who’s Deluded? Fact-checking the “ReachOut Psychosis” Show for Schools

By |March 6th, 2016|

ReachOut Psychosis is an “educational” show touring BC schools right now that traffics in a shocking abundance of misleading misinformation and blatant lies about the alleged dangers of psychotic or schizophrenic experiences and the wonders of pharmaceutical drugs.

 

I recently saw ReachOut Psychosis, and haven’t been able to rest until I’ve publicly commented on it. ReachOut Psychosis is an “educational” show touring BC schools right now that traffics in a shocking abundance of misleading misinformation and blatant lies about the alleged dangers of psychotic or schizophrenic experiences and the wonders of pharmaceutical drugs. It’s truly a wonder — and horror — that any teacher or school even brings this show in at all.

2411, 2014

Cancelled: Opportunity to Intervene in OIPC Inquiry about Police Chief Association Records

By |November 24th, 2014|

Update June 2015: For reasons I do not fully understand, the OIPC suddenly did an about-face and refused to allow any intervenors in this inquiry discussed below, and then later did an about-face again and did allow a few selected intervenors. The process is now closed and awaiting final adjudication. I leave the rest of the post for informational purposes about this process, and will update on the next steps I intend to take.

I requested copies of the minutes of meetings of the BC Association of Chiefs of Police and BC Association of Municipal Chiefs of Police from four municipal police departments, because the Associations themselves refused to provide any records. These records were heavily redacted using exemptions reserved

204, 2014

BC Information and Privacy Commissioner Urges Govt to Declare BC Police Chief Associations to be Public Bodies

By |April 2nd, 2014|

BC Information and Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth Denham wrote a letter urging the BC government to declare the two BC associations of chiefs of police to be public bodies, and make the associations subject to public freedom of information laws. I am disappointed that the letter does not do more to educate the public about the seriousness of the police governance, transparency, accountability and conduct issues involved, and does not address the general underlying questions about what constitutes a public body. However, I support the Commissioner’s recommendation. I am also glad that the Commissioner revisited and highlighted the ongoing question of the associations’ secretive lobbying activities. To learn about the background for this decision, read my previous articles

1012, 2013

OIPC Launches Inquiry into Police Chief Associations

By |December 10th, 2013|

The BC Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner is investigating the legal nature and practices of British Columbia’s two police chief associations and, as part of that process, will be soliciting public input until January 17th, 2014 (revised deadline is now February 14, 2014.). Commissioner Elizabeth Denham is considering whether to recommend that the BC Association of Chiefs of Police (BCACP) and BC Association of Municipal Chiefs of Police (BCAMCP) should be declared to be “public bodies” and be made subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). The OIPC’s official announcement will appear within the next few days. (Dec. 11: Her letter to stakeholders has now been released.)

This inquiry comes after I

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