Organization
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
The Bazelon Center is the leading legal advocacy organisation in the US focused on the rights of people with mental disabilities. Named for federal judge David L. Bazelon, the Centre engages in impact litigation, policy advocacy, and public education on issues including community integration, housing, employment, and the rights of people with psychiatric disabilities in the criminal justice system.
About the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
The Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law was founded in 1972, shortly after a landmark decision by Judge Bazelon (Chief Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit) establishing the right of people in public mental health facilities to treatment, not just confinement. The Center was established to advance Judge Bazelon's vision of legal rights for people with mental disabilities.
The Bazelon Center is a public interest law firm and policy advocate focused on the rights of adults with psychiatric disabilities. Its professional staff includes attorneys, policy experts, and mental health professionals.
What they do
The Bazelon Center engages in impact litigation, policy advocacy before Congress and federal agencies, and public education. Its work spans several critical areas:
Community integration: The Bazelon Center was involved in the Olmstead v. L.C. litigation (1999) and has been a leading advocate for implementation of the Olmstead decision — the requirement that states provide community-based services rather than unnecessarily institutionalising people with disabilities. For people with psychiatric disabilities, Olmstead is central to the right to live in the community rather than in institutions.
Housing: The Bazelon Center advocates for accessible, affordable housing for people with psychiatric disabilities, including Section 8 housing vouchers, supportive housing, and protection against housing discrimination.
Employment: Advocacy for the right to work for people with psychiatric disabilities, including workplace accommodation rights and opposition to employment barriers created by disclosure and discrimination.
Criminal justice: The Bazelon Center addresses the crisis of people with psychiatric disabilities in the criminal justice system — the criminalisation of mental illness, competency proceedings, and conditions of confinement.
Healthcare: Mental health parity enforcement, access to community mental health services, and rights in mental health treatment settings.
Key programs and resources
- Know Your Rights resources for people with psychiatric disabilities
- Policy papers and reports on mental health law and policy
- Technical assistance for legal aid organisations
- Amicus briefs in key cases affecting mental health rights
Who they serve
Adults with psychiatric disabilities and the legal advocates, policymakers, and organisations working on their behalf.
Why it matters
People with psychiatric disabilities face some of the most severe forms of discrimination in the US — in housing, employment, healthcare, and the criminal justice system. The Bazelon Center provides the specialised legal expertise and policy advocacy that ensures the rights of this population are taken seriously in courts, Congress, and federal agencies. For legal aid attorneys and disability advocates working with clients who have psychiatric disabilities, Bazelon's resources and technical assistance are essential.
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