Professor Fred Vars, a leading expert on mental health law, has published his latest book, Through the Fire: How People with Mental Illness are Empowering Each Other.
Through the Fire focuses on successful, impactful peer-led mental health response programs that have already been implemented, and proposes a shift in thinking about mental health as a condition rather than a character flaw. Professor Vars’ own experiences with mental health treatment give him a unique perspective on how traditional treatments, like inpatient psychiatric hospitals and police-led responses, can negatively impact the person experiencing the crisis — with sometimes deadly consequences. Professor Vars recently appeared on an episode of All Of It with Alison Stewart to discuss the book and to advocate for effective peer-led mental health programs.
Throughout his career, Professor Vars has been a consistent advocate for the rights of people with mental illness, including with his co-author, Ian Ayres (Yale Law School), in the 2020 book, Weapon of Choice: Fighting Gun Violence While Respecting Gun Rights. On that topic, he has been working to enact Donna’s Law in state legislatures across the US, which creates a voluntary, temporary “do-not-sell” registry for firearms to prevent gun suicide. With bipartisan support, it has been passed in Washington, Utah, Virginia, Delaware, and Colorado, and is set for debate in other states.
You can find Through the Fire on Amazon or wherever books are sold.