Patients Not Prisoners was founded in Florida by Lisa Taliaferro, whose personal experience with her sons' involvement in the justice system while dealing with mental illness motivated her advocacy and support efforts. Her dedication to ensuring that individuals living with mental illness receive proper care instead of being criminalized is at the heart of everything we do.

We serve families and individuals in St. Johns, Duval, and Putnam counties. Our mission is to reduce the criminalization of mental illness by advocating for better resources, educating communities, and supporting families with access to mental health services.

We believe that when people understand, connect, and learn from one another, resilient communities are built. Sharing lived experiences helps properly educate, support, and strengthen families and the communities we call home.

Through the use of the CARE Model, Patients Not Prisoners obtained community data that guided the creation of programs designed to shift current systems and practices for people living with a mental illness.

As a result of the CARE Model, we developed three core solutions:

• Advocate for and provide better resources and support for those experiencing mental illness.
• Educate the community to understand mental illness and its effects, encouraging empathy and creating a stronger family support system.
• Support families with access to mental health services.

This data-driven approach ensures our programs are responsive to the real needs of the communities we serve, rather than assumptions about what people need.