Melissa Owens has been successfully living with bipolar disorder since 2000, despite enduring six major psychotic episodes and multiple involuntary hospitalizations. Her journey is one of resilience, recovery, and a deep commitment to improving crisis response for others.

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Through her international award-winning program, Patient Not Prisoner, Melissa shares her lived experience by leading presentations, workshops, and trainings for local, state, federal, and international agencies. Her message is clear: compassion, education, and proper intervention save lives.

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Melissa remains profoundly grateful to the Crisis Response Teams who treated her with dignity and respect during her darkest moments—teams she credits with helping save her life.

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Explore this site to learn more about her story, her mission, and how to bring Patient Not Prisoner to your organization or event.