Psychiatric Force 2025: The Year In Review

In this episode, host, Sera Davidow, talks with author and journalist, Rob Wipond, about the last year in psychiatric force. Together, they touch on the prevalance of fraud in the mental health system, the driving forces behind that fraud, latest data in forced commitments, the Governmental Accountability Office's (GAO) report on so-called "Assisted Outpatient Treatment" and more.

As discussed in this podcast:

PsychForce Report: psychforce.report

Rob Wipond's website & book (Your Consent is Not Required): robwipond.com

The GAO's report on "Assisted Outpatient Treatment" (aka Involuntary Outpatient Commitment): Serious Mental Illness: HHS Assessments of Assisted Outpatient Treatment Have Yielded Inconclusive Results | U.S. GAO

Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) Report on "Assisted Outpatient Treatment" (aka Involuntary Outpatient Commitment): Evaluation of the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Grant Program for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness | ASPE

Rob Wipond:

Rob is a freelance journalist and creative nonfiction writer who writes frequently about the interfaces between psychiatry, civil rights, policing, surveillance and privacy, and social change. His articles have been nominated for seventeen magazine and journalism awards in science, law, business, and community issues, and he’s the author of the book Your Consent is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment, and Abusive Guardianships

Credits:

Production & editing: Sera Davidow

Intro music: Blue, Blood Harmony

Stinger (Transition): Morgontimma, Christian Nanzell

Outro music: Oh Dandelion, Gamma Skies