Program areas at MHA
Public Education: MHA provides education to individuals with mental health concerns, their supporters, and their providers through a wide range of culturally responsive tools throughout the year. Major public education campaigns include Mental Health Month, BIPOC Mental Health Month, and Back to School for youth, their parents, and young adults. Education campaigns include resources for community organizations, direct education for individuals in need, media campaigns, e-learnings through webinars and training, and social media activity. These signature programs reach millions of people annually. In addition, MHA offers a free, anonymous screening tool where nearly 15,000 people per day can educate themselves on their own mental health and take steps in their recovery. MHA also provides education and support for 2,500 Employers and their workers through its workplace mental health program.
Research: MHA is a leader in conducting population health and patient-participatory research to improve the mental health of individuals across the US. MHA uses a database of over 21 million health screens to issue reports to inform public policy and decision-making, validate screening tools, conduct research on evidence-based online interventions, research links to peers and communities, and provide a free database of mental health screening information by location and condition for use by policymakers, other researchers, and the general public. MHA also issues other reports and analyses of mental health trends and statistics in the US.
Constituency Services: MHA supports a national network of community-based organizations providing mental health services, information and referral services, psychosocial services, and policy and advocacy. By providing technical assistance, training, grant opportunities, and content to affiliates and similar organizations, MHA supports a national effort to provide high-quality, culturally responsive mental health services for individuals in need across the country.
Policy & Advocacy: MHA advocates for laws and policies that promote and foster positive mental health, ensure access to effective and culturally responsive care, and protect the rights of people who have mental health issues and their families. MHA works with partners and affiliates to champion prevention, encourage access to screening and early intervention services, get mental health education and programming in schools, expand access to crisis resources, improve access to and use of peer specialists, improve services for youth and young adults, and integrate recovery fully in care. MHA's efforts around the social drivers of mental health address the social inequities that prevent people from reaching their full potential.