The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Traveling Exhibit held its Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on June 23rd at the Mini Social event space in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona, drawing attention to the history of psychiatric abuses and the importance of human rights in mental health.
Local businessman Jimmy Alauria served as Master of Ceremonies, introducing CCHR's mission to expose false science and practices in the psychiatric industry. Special guest speaker Judy Renfro, a member of JustServe, a global volunteerism movement of the LDS Church, shared her experiences helping community members cope with addiction and recounted tragic stories of individuals who lost everything to drugs.
Ms. Renfro emphasized the responsibility of medical professionals when prescribing medications that alter behavior or create dependency, stating, "As a society, we place tremendous trust in medical professionals. That trust also carries a profound responsibility. When prescribing medications that can alter behavior, create dependency, impair judgment, or affect cognitive function, careful consideration must be given not only to the intended benefits but also to the long-term consequences for the individual, their family, and the broader community."
The ribbon cutting opened the exhibit for tours of graphic panels and documentaries that expose the long history of psychiatric abuses. Guests expressed surprise at the origins of psychiatry, finding the information eye-opening and deeply moving. The exhibit, which warns that psychiatric treatments can kill, is part of a grand tour of major cities in the Western United States, with 14 identical traveling exhibits worldwide.
For more information, visit the CCHR website or watch documentaries on the work of CCHR volunteers and the film Psychiatry: An Industry of Death on the Scientology Network.
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights was co-founded in 1969 by professor of psychiatry Dr. Thomas Szasz and the Church of Scientology. CCHR Commissioners include physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, lawyers, legislators, government officials, educators, and civil rights representatives. CCHR is inspired by L. Ron Hubbard's commitment to abolishing physically damaging practices in mental health.
