The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is a nonprofit group that strives to better the lives of those who are coping with mental illnesses. It attempts to make changes to laws and policies that will provide a better standard of living for those who have mental illnesses. The center has been working toward this goal for nearly forty years, and has been instrumental with policy reform, as well as in educating the public about the rights of those who have mental illnesses. They work tirelessly to provide help and understanding in the fields of housing, education, employment, healthcare, and the legal system.

The History of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Founded in 1972 by a group of mental health professionals and lawyers, the center has been working hard trying to educate people about the rights of those with mental illnesses, and trying to change the laws when needed. When originally founded, the group was the Mental Health Law Project. The change in the name occurred in 1993, and the name change reflects their honoring of the federal appeals court judge, Judge David L. Bazelon, who was responsible for landmark decisions that helped to change the field of mental health law.

Since its inception, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has been a leader when it comes to advancing the rights of those who have mental disabilities. They are doing a great service for many.

It is possible for many people to come aboard and help them with their cause, and one doesn’t have to be a doctor or a lawyer to do it. They believe in getting the word out to the public and in sharing stories of those who could benefit from changes in the law. Through their website, they offer a number of different suggestions on how people can help the center’s cause

What Does it Have to Do with Forensic Psychology?

While it might not seem as though the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is going to have much to do with forensic psychology, that is simply not the case. Because forensic psychologists deal with the law and the criminal justice systems in their practice, they will find that the information provided through the center can be quite valuable. It can offer them more insight into their own research, patients, and cases.

A forensic psychologist should do everything in his or her power to be able to gain a better understanding of his or her. It is important to keep learning, whether it’s talking with peers in the forensic field or researching case studies, or understanding how the differences and changes in the law can affect criminal suspects with mental illnesses.

Take some time to peruse the site and everything that the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has to offer and you might find it interesting. They are doing good work in helping to improve the quality of life for those people who have no other advocates looking out for them.

Please visit http://www.bazelon.org/ for more information about The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.