Petition for Government Review of End‑of‑Life Frameworks in Cases of Severe Mental Health Distress and Harm Caused by Systemic Failures

To:  Congress, Human and Health Services, Civil rights division, Department of Justice and all other applicable governing agencies.

 

We, the undersigned, call upon our government to undertake a comprehensive, transparent, and ethically grounded review of existing end‑of‑life frameworks as they relate to individuals living with severe, treatment‑resistant mental health conditions, particularly when these individuals have also been subjected to systemic failures, neglect, or harm.

 

Across the country, countless people with chronic psychiatric illnesses experience profound suffering that is intensified—not relieved—by the very systems meant to protect them. Many face repeated barriers to care, inadequate support, bureaucratic obstacles, and institutional practices that compound their distress.

 

When government systems fail to provide meaningful treatment, stability, or safety in a way honoring personal autonomy, individuals can be left in prolonged states of anguish with no viable path toward relief or dignity and be left with no way to recover from undue suffering and harms done.

 

This petition does not call for immediate legalization of any specific end‑of‑life practice. Instead, it demands that the government acknowledge the reality of those who suffer gravely and are further harmed by systemic injustices, and that it take responsibility for examining whether current laws adequately address their needs.

 

This petition is also requesting that such legislation be considered to be put into effect in the future, only after careful and meticulous review. Outlining specific criteria which must be met but without preventing a person from applying to seek such treatment. 

 

We respectfully request the following actions:

1. A formal legislative review of end‑of‑life policies as they pertain to individuals with severe, treatment‑resistant mental health conditions and are coherent in nature.
2. An independent inquiry into systemic failures in mental health care, including cases where government inaction, neglect, violate civil rights or harmful practices have contributed to long‑term suffering.
3. Expert consultation with psychiatrists, ethicists, disability advocates, human rights organizations, and individuals with lived experience.
4. A public, transparent dialogue that includes affected communities and acknowledges the moral, ethical, and human rights dimensions of this issue.
5. Strengthened mental health systems, accessibility and wrap-around care offering more cohesion in tandem with true efforts to offer more sustainable problem solving solutions , ensuring that end‑of‑life discussions never replace the obligation to provide effective treatment, housing, financial support, and long‑term care.  
6. Safeguards and accountability mechanisms to ensure that any future policy changes prioritize autonomy, dignity, and protection from coercion or neglect.

 

 

Why this review is urgently needed: 

 

 

Many individuals with severe mental health conditions are not only suffering from their illnesses but also from systemic injustices—including inadequate access to care, discriminatory practices, and government failures that worsen their condition.

 

When the state’s inaction or harmful policies contribute to a person’s suffering, it becomes a matter of public responsibility and human rights.

 

A legislative review is a necessary step toward acknowledging these failures, understanding their impact, and exploring humane, ethical, and accountable policy pathways.

 

Our call

We ask our leaders to confront this issue with seriousness, compassion, and transparency. Every person deserves dignity, safety, and autonomy. No one should be left to suffer without options—especially when that suffering is worsened by the very systems meant to help. Lastly, when an awareness is known of a person’s suffering and violations are committed further contributing to the distress of a human.

 

Signed,