Mission Statement & History
Founded in 1909 by Clifford W. Beers, Mental Health America (MHA) is the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting the overall mental health of all. Mental Health America is one of the premier mental health organizations in the USA. MHA’s work is driven by its commitment to promote mental health as a critical part of overall wellness, including prevention services for all; early identification and intervention for those at risk; integrated care, services, and supports for those who need them; with recovery as the goal. During his stays in public and private institutions, Beers witnessed and was subjected to horrible abuse. From these experiences, Beers set into motion a reform movement that took shape and is known today as Mental Health America.
MHA’s programs and initiatives fulfill its mission of promoting mental health and preventing mental illness through advocacy, education, research and services. MHA’s national office and its 200+ affiliates and associates around the country work every day to protect the rights and dignity of individuals with lived experience and ensure that peers and their voices are integrated into all areas of the organization.
MHA: By the Numbers
MHA’s Programs & Initiatives
1. MHA Screening
Understanding your mental health and learning about where you are in your mental health is essential in ensuring you stay mentally healthy. One of the quickest and easiest ways to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition is to take an anonymous screen.
After completing their screening, individuals receive immediate results, education, resources and linkage to affiliates. As MHAScreening.org expands, MHA will continue to explore ways to best respond to the needs of screeners by adding public education and treatment information in collaboration with national partners. MHA’s goal is to get every American screened and aware of their mental health as a way to promote recovery and reduce the time of untreated mental health problems.
MHA has online screening tools for:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Bipolar disorder
- Eating disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Alcohol and substance use
- Early psychosis
- Work health
- Screenings that are youth-focused and parent-focused
2. The Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health
In 2019, MHA created the Bell Seal for Workplace Mental Health, a certification program to recognize employers who are committed to creating mentally healthy workplaces. With 40 years’ experience in workplace mental health, MHA developed a set of standards to assess an employer’s policies and practices that support employee mental health and well-being. The Bell Seal considers both the 1 in 5 employees who will experience a mental health condition each year and the 5 in 5 employees who benefit from a worker-friendly, highly productive, and psychologically safe workplace. An organization with Bell Seal certification will be recognized nationwide as a workplace that values mental health and a mentally healthy work environment for all employees.
3. The State of Mental Health in America Report
MHA’s annual State of Mental Health in America report identifies a common set of data indicators for mental health that gives a more complete picture of mental health status in America. The report provides data on prevalence rates of mental health problems for youth and adults, and data on access to care. This year’s report, released in October of 2020, revealed that youth mental health is worsening, mental illness among adults is increasing and access to care is still a major problem.
4. Public Education
Each year MHA develops public education campaigns, toolkits and reports aimed at general mental health awareness and addressing issues Before Stage 4. The education efforts address a range of issues that people may be dealing with based on specific population needs including parents, BIPOC individuals, college students and more.
Below are links to a few of their initiatives:
MHA Employee Snapshot
Caren Howard, Advocacy Manager
“I love that my work at MHA helps to inform and empower everyday people to think about their mental health and take action to convince their elected officials about why we need to invest in a better mental health care system.”
Emily Skehill, Program Manager of Public Education and Awareness
“Often when people think of mental health, they think of conditions like anxiety or depression – but it’s so much bigger than that. Everyone has mental health. We eat healthy and exercise to maintain our physical health even if we don’t have any illnesses, so why do we ignore mental health until we reach a point of crisis? Being mentally healthy – both as an individual and as a society – is an active process and it’s important to have information and resources broadly available that will allow everyone to live safe, secure, and fulfilling lives.”
America Paredes, Associate Vice President of Partnerships & Community Outreach
MHA’s work is vitally important because we focus on creating a space where discussions of mental health and mental illness occur simultaneously. Without addressing the ebb and flow between the two spectrums we disregard the true lived experience of people.
Jessica Kennedy, Chief of Staff
“What’s really special about Mental Health America is the “B4Stage4” approach – the idea that mental health conditions should be treated long before a person is in crisis. I know too many people who tried to get help early and were let down by the system, and we’re changing this.”
You can learn more about the MHA team here.
How Can You Support MHA?
There are several ways that individuals and organizations can get involved with Mental Health America.
As an individual, you can:
- Devote Time by Volunteering
- Fundraise on Facebook
- Create a Memorial Fund
- Leave a Legacy
- Host a Charity Livestream
- Shop for Good
As a company or organization, you can professionally join Mental Health America:
MHA can’t solve the mental health crisis our nation is facing alone and would love your support! Connect with your local MHA affiliate, share the screening tool and follow Mental Health America on social media.
As an individual, group or company you can get involved through fundraising, donating and volunteering. Learn more about how you can get involved by visiting the website.