The ACLU has brought a lawsuit against the District of Colombia related to how they respond to mental health emergencies. The lawsuit states that it is mental health professionals and not law enforcement that should be the primary responders – that there should be parity between how 911 respond to physical health emergencies with medical professionals, and how it responds to mental health emergencies with mental health professionals. Joining us to discuss are Michael Perloff, a staff attorney with the ACLU-DC who is lead counsel on the lawsuit, referred to as Bread for the City v District of Columbia; we’re also joined by Charnal Chaney, a trauma-informed yoga instructor, and founder of Bold Yoga, in Washington, DC, who also works with at-risk and underrepresented groups to offer and promote health and healing. Charnal has lived experience with mental health emergencies.

Read the ACLU’s press release on the lawsuit: https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/lawsuit-challenges-unequal-response-to-mental-health-emergencies-in-washington-dc

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