NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation's biggest community mental health organization devoted to constructing a better life for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. The NIMH is the largest scientific organization dedicated to research focused on the understanding, treatment, and prevention of mental illness. It also carries out outreach activities with other mental health organizations to share information on ongoing research and plans and obtain feedback for future initiatives. Supporting the right mental health organizations can help raise awareness, address stigma, and facilitate treatment and recovery from a variety of mental health issues, while improving company culture and employee well-being. Here are 12 mental health organizations to support.
The ADAA concentrates on the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety, depression, and related conditions through education, practice, and research. The organization has a community of more than 1500 mental health professionals, many of whom are active contributors to research, education and training. For young LGBTQ workers or their families, The Trevor Project provides crucial mental health resources. This organization focuses on issues such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse and suicide prevention in members of the LGBTQ community under 25 years of age. The Trevor Project includes resources such as crisis intervention tools, suicide prevention training, and other community resources.
Conditions such as anxiety and depression worsened for many employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonprofit mental health organizations are in a position to promote appropriate treatment for these and other conditions during this crisis. The National Council on Behavioral Health has established a COVID-19 relief fund to eliminate financial barriers for those seeking help. Donations go directly to frontline community behavioral health providers who can help provide remote and in-person services to people with mental illness or substance abuse problems. According to its website, the National Federation of Families “is a national family-run organization that unites more than 120 state chapters and organizations that focus on the problems of children and young people with emotional, behavioral or mental health needs and substance use problems and their families. In addition, advocating for mental illness and contributing to the mental health community can be extremely powerful for both families and patients.
Through advocacy, research, education, treatment services and de-stigmatization, all of these charities work in some way to improve the lives of people living with mental health problems and their families. Use these free educational and outreach materials in your community and on social media to spread information about mental health and related topics. Supporting mental health organizations benefits the people their mission serves, but also the generous supporters. The goal of BEAM is to help eliminate the systemic barriers that black people experience when accessing mental health resources. Its inaugural innovation is called Shout 85285, which is a confidential and free 24-hour texting service for people facing a mental health crisis.
They offer a variety of resources on mental health issues for transgender people, as well as general health care, insurance, legal assistance, and other related topics. Founded more than 50 years ago and based in London, Rethink Mental Illness strives to provide people living with mental illness and their friends and family with the highest quality of life. Patient advocates even say that their advocacy work helps strengthen their own mental health recovery. Use these free digital outreach materials in your community and on social media to spread information about mental health. They also have free brochures, pamphlets, and e-books to help educate the public about mental health and mental illness. And these organizations hope to go even further and get to a place where everyone values, understands and supports mental health.
