Florida Human Rights Organization Honors Mental Health Advocates at Annual Awards Event

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida will host its 9th Annual Humanitarian Awards Banquet on November 8th, 2025, at the historic Fort Harrison in downtown Clearwater. The event celebrates volunteers and community partners dedicated to advancing human rights and improving mental health practices throughout the state.

Attorney Paul Figueroa will receive the 2025 CCHR Florida Humanitarian Award, while Father Bob Swick will be honored with the 2025 CCHR Florida Lifetime Achievement Award. The banquet recognizes individuals and organizations committed to safeguarding basic freedoms and restoring dignity in mental health care. The evening will feature a banquet dinner and live musical performance as the community gathers to celebrate achievements and promote continued positive change.

Diane Stein, President of CCHR Florida, emphasized the organization's mission to protect fundamental rights, particularly for younger generations. Our mission is to restore and secure basic freedoms and rights—especially for our next generation, our leaders of tomorrow, Stein stated. This event highlights the incredible work being done to ensure protection for all Floridians under the law, particularly in the effort to reform mental health legislation and prevent abuse.

CCHR Florida maintains active public service programs focused on educating citizens about their legal rights, exposing abuses in mental health treatment, and collaborating with lawmakers to implement meaningful reforms. The organization has gained recognition for its advocacy work concerning Florida's Baker Act, specifically efforts to reduce involuntary psychiatric examinations and promote more humane and transparent processes. For additional information about their initiatives, visit https://www.cchrflorida.org.

The organization traces its origins to 1969 when it was established by the Church of Scientology and psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz with the mission to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health. L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, first brought psychiatric imprisonment to wide public notice, writing in March 1969 about thousands being seized without due process and subjected to harmful treatments in the name of mental health. The annual awards banquet represents CCHR Florida's ongoing commitment to protecting vulnerable populations and ensuring proper legal safeguards in mental health care.