NARPA: A Legacy of Advocacy
The National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) traces its roots back to 1980. It was founded when the “mental patients’ liberation movement” was gaining momentum and challenging the loss of civil liberties and the systemic abuses and loss of civil liberties often found in psychiatric institutions. NARPA was built on the principle of true inclusion, ensuring that people labeled with psychiatric disabilities had a primary seat at the table alongside legal experts and advocates.
Throughout its history, NARPA has been a leading force in promoting self-determination and alternatives to coercive treatment. For over four decades, its annual conferences have served as a critical hub for advocacy training, focusing on the right to liberty and informed choice and legal precedents like the Olmstead decision and the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Today, NARPA remains a fiercely independent voice, dedicated to the principle that human rights must never be sacrificed for the sake of clinical convenience.
Board of Directors
Kristina Kapp (KK), Vice President, Fremont, Ohio
Brynne Madway, Secretary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tracy Boggiano, Treasurer, Greensboro, North Carolina
Bill Stewart, Past President, Lexington, Kentucky
George Badillo, Sound Beach, New York
Steven Barnes, Maryland Heights, Missouri
Tom Behrendt, New Haven, Connecticut
Nina Loewenstein, Boston, Massachusetts
Bren Pramanik, Trenton, New Jersey
Jim Probert, Gainesville, Florida
Michael Sabourin, Marshfield, Vermont
Mitzy Sky, Stamford, Connecticut
Kelly Staples, Brunswick, Maine
Michelle Tinkler, Seattle, Washington
Rachel Marshall, NARPA Administrator