Mental health rights pioneer of social work Greenland dies

Social workers in the UK as old as me will remember the name of Cyril Greenland, who has died in his adopted country, Canada. In an inspiring obituary, the Globe and Mail reminds people of his humanity as a director of social work taking over a psychiatric unit.

Greenland learned that the patients on 2B refused to wear clothes because all available clothes were size extra large and since the patients could have no belts or suspenders, they could not keep their pants up. He obtained well-fitting clothing for patients and eventually oversaw the release of most of them into the community.

A pioneer of concern for the rights of the people we serve, he was the author of an influential text: Mental Health and Civil Liberties, in the UK before going to Canada.

The obituary here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/cyril-greenland-helped-move-psychiatric-patients-out-of-hospitals/article2307546/page1/