NONPROFIT QUARTERLY: May 20, 2024 - The lack of adequate care and empathy for people suffering from mental illness is a monumental concern in the United States. But due to the complexity of the problem and the systems that have stigmatized, criminalized, and dehumanized people with mental illness throughout the nation’s history, finding sustainable solutions is difficult, yet urgently needed work. Melissa Beck, executive director of the Sozosei Foundation, is one of the people fighting for positive change.
April 2024: Earlier this month the Sozosei Foundation was honored to hold our 4th Sozosei Summit to Decriminalize Mental Illness. I am sure that many of you reading this newsletter were at this dynamic and inspiring event, but because it was at capacity I'm also certain that many of you are awaiting the recordings of the event, which we will provide soon. Also coming is an animated recap made by the talented Julia Reich of Stone Soup Creative.
Princeton, NJ, April 8, 2024— The Sozosei Foundation, a philanthropic arm of Otsuka dedicated to the decriminalization of mental illness, will gather the nation’s most creative, impactful leaders in mental health at the 2024 Sozosei Summit to Decriminalize Mental Illness on April 16 and 17. Taking place at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, the Summit offers a unique landscape for attendees to spark and engage in thought-provoking conversations surrounding access to mental healthcare, focusing on intersectional, data driven decriminalization strategies.
The Foundation recently kicked off a series of Global Solution Labs to surface more knowledge and perspectives about how to create a future where mental illness is not treated as a crime. Over 50 multidisciplinary “Solutionists” gathered on May 7, 2021, to take on the ambitious task of identifying the top solutions to move the needle on the decriminalization of mental illness.
In the spirit of collaboration, we recently hosted a Virtual Book Club featuring authors and renowned psychiatrist Dr. James Knoll and renowned psychologist Dr. Joel Dvoskin. Led by Sozosei Board Member, Mary Chi Michael, Dr. Knoll and Dr. Dvoskin discussed their contribution to the recently released book, “Decriminalizing Mental Illness” with more than 100 attendees.