Social workers are often part of multidisciplinary teams that include health and education professionals. They are the largest group of mental health service providers. Mental Health America (formerly known as the National Mental Health Association) is a leading non-profit organization that works to help all people lead mentally healthier lives. The National Resource Center for Psychiatric Advance Directives (NRC-PAD) provides comprehensive information on psychiatric advance directives, which are legal documents that people with mental illness can create to specify their preferred treatment in case of a mental health crisis.
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the largest community mental health organization in the US. It was founded in 1979 by a small group of families and now works to support those affected by mental illness. The American Counseling Association is a non-profit professional and educational organization that works to improve the counseling profession. The National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Directors Association (NACBHD) is the only national voice of local and county behavioral health and developmental disabilities authorities in Washington, DC.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) works to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness in communities across the US. The National Council advocates for public mental and behavioral health policies that ensure sick people can access comprehensive health services. The National Association of Mental Health Planning and Advisory Councils (NAMHPAC) is a non-profit organization whose membership includes members from every state and territorial mental health planning council. NAMHPAC provides support, policy development, knowledge products, and technical assistance to mental health planning and advisory councils based in the states of the country.
The National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) represents the public mental health service delivery system in all 50 states, 4 territories, and the District of Columbia. Promotion makes a difference in the lives of people with mental health problems and their loved ones.
