Roots Up

Roots Up Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Roots Up, Nonprofit Organization, 591T Memorial Drive, Chicopee, MA.

Operating within an anti-force, anti-oppressive framework to raise up voice, choice, harm reduction & wisdom gained through survival as we strive to dismantle systems & build the knowledge sharing opportunities and supports we wish had been there for us.

Self-Injury: My Why"I used to feel like I was not quite in the world, moving through work almost invisible, like I could...
06/02/2026

Self-Injury: My Why

"I used to feel like I was not quite in the world, moving through work almost invisible, like I could disintegrate in a moment. Self-injury (I used safety pins, paper clips…) brought me back into my surroundings, helped restore focus. Other times when I was alone and felt dark and numb, cutting showed me was still alive. It was not about su***de. It was about knowing it was my body and my body was alive. There were also times when the anxiety and tension was so strong self- harm would release the tension, then I could breathe again."

-Koleen

This post is a part of Roots Up's 'Project Why' project on self-injury. You can learn more about the project at rootsup.info/project-why.

If you would like to submit your why, you can do that here: tinyurl.com/WhySI26



Image description: A gray silhouette is beginning to disintegrate at the hands and lower legs in the lower left corner of the image. The background is white except for the image and a gray mottled line around the bottom and right border. The black text reads as above.

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!(Whether you like it or not :) )We get it. Not everybody likes 30 days of rainbows... Now, just imagin...
06/01/2026

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!

(Whether you like it or not :) )

We get it. Not everybody likes 30 days of rainbows... Now, just imagine what it's like to have 365 days of people questioning & erasing your existence!

+

Image description: A rainbow background with a rainbow running from lower left to upper right corners and a dark gray background behind that, White text in a semi circle at the top says "Happy Pride Month!!" with black text just below that that says "Whether you like it... or not" with a smiley face emoji next to it, Below that is black text with a white glow outline that says "We get it. Not everybody likes 30 days of rainbows... Now, just imagine what it's like to have 365 days of people questioning & erasing your existence!

It's not you. It's the world. **edupworld Image description: White background with black text that reads "I have ment...
05/30/2026

It's not you. It's the world.

**edupworld

Image description: White background with black text that reads "I have mental health problems living in a fu**ed up world", but 'mental health' is crossed out in red pen, so it ultimately reads 'I have mental problems living in a fu**ed up world". There is a stick figure standing toward the edge of the word 'health' holding a red pen that is taller than the figure with one hand, with legs slightly crossed and the other hand on the figure's hip. The figure's facial expression is frustrated. Another stick figure is sitting on the 'I' and 'H' of 'I have' with arms folded across knees and wearing the same expression.

URGENT: HELP US FILL THE ROOM!!!!Respite & Rights Legislative BriefingJune 3, 2026Panel, State House, Room 428, 1-2:30pm...
05/28/2026

URGENT: HELP US FILL THE ROOM!!!!

Respite & Rights Legislative Briefing

June 3, 2026

Panel, State House, Room 428, 1-2:30pm

Meet with legislators, State House, 2:30-4pm

Come learn about and support the bills:

H.5231/S.1383, An Act establishing peer respites throughout the Commonwealth

H.5229/S.1389, An Act modernizing the 6 fundamental rights

Hear from a panel of peer supporters, advocates and others with lived experience from 1-2:30pm about these 2 bills, and then join us for our Advocacy Day right after!

Both bills are written to improve conditions for people in MA by establishing peer respites as an alternative to psychiatric hospitalization and adding + strengthening fundamental rights for those in the mental health system, including protections for trans people.

No registration required, just show up!!!!!!!

The rideshare form is being managed by and may no longer be accepting requests, but you can check it out at qr.link/AFxXhV and see if its still available.

This event is being co-sponsored by Roots Up, Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee (MHLAC), MassACT, Wildflower Alliance and



Image description: Lavendar background with two blue hands reaching out and grasping each other at the top, one from a gray building with bars on it and the other from an orange house. The details of the event are as listed above on a white background with a gold 'URGENT' sticker on the left and the logos of all the named orgs along the bottom.

Page 2: Lavendar background with a white square and black text including info above (paragraph starting 'Hear from a panel')

"My journey with self injury has been long and evolving. When I first started, it was just a release and in some ways it...
05/25/2026

"My journey with self injury has been long and evolving. When I first started, it was just a release and in some ways it’s always stayed like that, but there were times when I would self injure as a distraction. There were times when I would self injure just so that I could see myself heal and know that it was possible. To be honest, there were a lot of times that I did it so that I wouldn’t hurt other people. Although I’ve come to a point in my life where I don’t self injure in the ways that I used to, it’s still always a comfort to think about it and depending on how hard the day is, it’s still a fight not to do it. It’s like an old friend that I miss, but that I’ve outgrown."

- Ebony

This post is a part of Roots Up's 'Project Why' project on self-injury. You can learn more about the project at rootsup.info/project-why.

If you would like to submit your why, you can do that here: tinyurl.com/WhySI26



Image description: White background with a picture of Ebony in the bottom left corner (Black woman with shoulder-length dark and light braids, wearing glasses, septum ring and a gray jacket). A thick dark red line runs along the left border and a dark gray line runs along the bottom border.

HVN Approach & Group Facilitator Training: Part 1: The HVN ApproachJune 23, 24, 25 & 30, 12-4:30pm ESTPart 2: HVN Group ...
05/22/2026

HVN Approach & Group Facilitator Training:

Part 1: The HVN Approach
June 23, 24, 25 & 30, 12-4:30pm EST

Part 2: HVN Group Facilitation
July 1 & 2, 12-4:30pm EST
July 8, 12-2pm EST

Led by one of the most experienced HVN trainers in the US, Cindy Marty Hadge

Featuring guest speaker and internationally recognized HVN figure, Jacqui Dillon

Specific training options:

Option 1: Attend the first part of the training if you're wanting to learn about the overall approach and strategies.

Option 2: Attend both Parts 1 and 2 to not only learn about the approach and how to support people 1:1, but also how to facilitate Hearing Voices groups.

Option 3: For people who have already attended Part 1 in the recent past, attend only Part 2 to apply what you previously learned to being a group facilitator. NOTE: You don't have to have completed Part 1 through Roots Up, provided the training you took reviewed comparable materials.

tinyurl.com/HVN626



Image description: White background with 'Roots Up Hearing Voices Training in white on a purple and green gradient bar with a white dandelion at the top of the image. Below that is a black and white megaphone and black text "Announcing a New Format' Roots Up is introducing a new format structured to allow people to attend the part of the training that they most want or need. Bellow that is a purple bar with white text 'JULY ON-LINE SESSION: and a QR code and tiny url as noted above. Below that is info in black and green text about Part I and II and dates of the upcoming training followed by info on Cindy Marty Hadge and Jacqui Dillon. Headshots of Cindy and Jacqui are in the bottom right corner.

Self-injury: My WhyI self-injured by cutting for over seven years. it was during one of the darkest, most challenging ti...
05/20/2026

Self-injury: My Why

I self-injured by cutting for over seven years. it was during one of the darkest, most challenging times in my life. I carried so much pain with me, but opening up about that pain to my loved ones was met with either dismissal, misunderstanding, or anger. I truly felt like I had no control over the pain I held and that I was on my own in life. Above all else, cutting reminded me that I was real- that even when my pain was ignored or met with hostility, that pain was mine, and it was valid."

-EJ

This post is a part of Roots Up's 'Project Why' project on self-injury. You can learn more about the project at rootsup.info/project-why.

If you would like to submit your why, you can do that here: tinyurl.com/WhySI26



Image description: Background is gray checkboxes. A blue line runs along the left and right borders with a little bit along the top left and bottom right (like an upside-down L on the left and a backwards L on the right)

Do you want to be a part of building a library against force?Roots Up is working on putting together a library of advoca...
05/19/2026

Do you want to be a part of building a library against force?

Roots Up is working on putting together a library of advocacy materials related to Involuntary Outpatient Commitment (IOC, better known as "Assisted Outpatient Treatment" or "AOT"). We are hoping to make this library publicly available for anyone to pull from when advocating against IOC (and psychiatric force in general).

We especially hope to create video testimonials from:

* Family members against force
* Providers who've seen the harm that using force can cause
* People who've been on an IOC order
* People who've experienced force and have thoughts on what it would be like to be on an IOC order

We also welcome any articles, podcasts or similar that are directly addressing IOC and related topics.

If you are interested in doing a video testimonial with us or have any other contributions you want to make, please fill out the survey found here: tinyurl.com/libraryIOC



Image descriptions: There are three slides, each with a pale yellow background and a line of books along the bottom, all standing on their long horizontal side with the bindings facing up. The books are all slightly different sizes. Black text is on each page and is the same as the text above. On the third slide is a QR code and link address.

*Involuntary Outpatient Commitment is different than Involuntary Inpatient Commitment. Involuntary Outpatient Commitment refers to a court order that requires a person to follow treatment plans (psychiatric drug prescriptions, as well as other terms that could include therapy, day programs, residential programs, etc.) while living in the community. If the person does not follow the treatment orders, the Involuntary Outpatient Commitment order typically includes terms that would result in the person being required to appear in court and/or be evaluated at a psychiatric facility for potential inpatient commitment. All states and territories in the US currently have an Involuntary Outpatient Commitment law EXCEPT for Connecticut and Massachusetts.

COMMUNITY FORUM: Tracking Abuse, Restraint & Rights ViolationsFriday, June 12 '26, 2 to 4pm EasternOur systems are serio...
05/18/2026

COMMUNITY FORUM: Tracking Abuse, Restraint & Rights Violations

Friday, June 12 '26, 2 to 4pm Eastern

Our systems are seriously flawed and work in the favor of those who already hold the most power. Rights violations often remain invisible or impossible to prove, especially when data isn't being tacked.

What if we could change that?

This event will include:

* A brief presentation from a whistleblower who identified questionable restraint practices using available data

* Exploration of possibilities for the future of data tracking & accessibility, including legislative approaches

* Open discussion and input

Although this event will have some focus on Massachusetts, it is a conversation that is relevant to many people and all are welcome.

Register at tinyurl.com/MHINFO612

Address

591T Memorial Drive
Chicopee, MA
01020

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