Local Organizations with Mental Health Expertise

These organizations can help coordinate a community event, locate speakers who have expertise in mental health, offer peer and family supports, and provide general information on mental health as well as treatment, and available services for mental health issues.

Children, Youth, and Young Adults | National and Community Organizations

Children, Youth, and Young Adults  

4-H National Headquarters / National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)/USDA

Contact: 4hhq@nifa.usda.gov; 202-401-4114

The Division of Youth and 4-H and the Division of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) at the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within USDA support the socio-economic prosperity of people and communities, develop human and community capital, provide youth leadership experiences, and ensure families remain strong and healthy.  Helpful resources provided by 4-H National Headquarters / National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)/USA:

  • Family and Consumer Sciences programs promote the human sciences in NIFA priority areas through research, education and extension.  Family and Consumer Sciences programs aim to:
    • Strengthen families, farms, communities, and the economy through applied science and investments in research to understand how people can improve their well-being and quality of life
    • Enhance human development and family well-being
    • Address military youth, family and veteran well-being
  • Division of Youth and 4-H provides leadership and oversight to youth development programs engage youth within their communities, schools, organizations, peer groups, and families.  Division of Youth and 4-H Programs include:
    • Children, Youth, and Families at Risk Program promotes building resiliency and protective factors in youth, families, and communities.
    • Agriculture in the Classroom Program aims to improve agricultural literacy in the nation's secondary schools.
    • Rural Youth programs address rural youth needs and involve youth in the design and implementation of their educational activities.
    • 4-H Afterschool Program increases the extension staff work in after-school programs and strengthens collaborations with other youth-serving organizations.  The program also increases the quality and availability of after-school programs in America's communities.
  • Find a local 4-H Office

Active Minds
Contact: info@activeminds.org

Active Minds is a nonprofit organization dedicated to utilizing the student voice to raise mental health awareness among college students. Active Minds empowers students to speak openly about mental health in order to educate others and encourage help-seeking while also providing expertise in college mental health promotion and suicide prevention.  Helpful resources provided by Active Minds include:

  • Mental Health Speakers Bureau provides a directory of Active Minds speakers that can bring the mental health conversation to your community.
    • Contact Active Minds about holding an event on a college campus or for information about involving youth in mental health programming and events.
  • Send Silence Packing is a program to reduce college student suicide and promote a dialogue about mental health issues on college campuses,
  • Awareness activities that address negative attitudes and beliefs about mental illness, stress, eating disorders, and veteran student mental health.
  • Emerging Scholars Fellowship provides an opportunity for students to complete independent research or creative projects devoted to mental health with emphasis on issues relevant to younger communities.
  • Find a Local Chapter to get involved in raising mental health awareness among college students.

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Contact: 202-966-7300

The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry’s (AACAP) mission is to promote the healthy development of children, adolescents, and families through research, training, prevention, comprehensive diagnosis and treatment and to meet the professional needs of child and adolescent psychiatrists throughout their careers.  Helpful resources from AACAP:

Child Mind Institute
Contact: 212-308-3118

The Child Mind Institute is committed to finding effective treatments for childhood psychiatric and learning disorders, building the science of healthy brain development, and empowering children and their families with help, hope, and answers. Helpful resources provided by The Child Mind Institute include:

The Jed Foundation
Contact: 212-647-7544

The Jed Foundation provides expertise in promoting emotional and mental health and preventing suicide among teens, young adults, and college students.  Helpful resources provided by the Jed Foundation include:

  • Resources for campus professionals that address emotional and mental health systems in college and university campuses and crisis management on college and university campuses.
  • Online communications strategies and resources for supporting the emotional and mental health of college students and young adults
  • Community based approaches to mental health promotion and suicide prevention

Jed Foundation Projects:

  • JedCampus helps schools create a framework for a campus community where emotional wellbeing is nurtured and protected.
  • Half of Us highlights stories of students and high-profile artists to increase awareness about mental health problems and the importance of getting help.
  • Ulifeline is an online resource offering campus-specific resources for getting help and an anonymous screening tool.
  • LawLifeline is an anonymous, confidential, online resource center, where law school students can be comfortable searching for the information they need and want regarding emotional health.
  • Transition Year helps campuses, parents and students navigate the transition into college with a focus on emotional health.
  • Love is Louder is a social networking campaign and grassroots movement that helps students and campuses create connectedness and encourage help-seeking.

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCCTS)
Contact: info@nctsn.org

NCCTS responds to specific requests for assistance, information, speakers, training, and events.
Through their online learning center, NCCTS offers resources, training, and educational opportunities covering:

  • Physical and sexual abuse
  • Domestic, school, and community violence
  • Natural disasters, terrorism, or military family challenges
  • Life-threatening injury and illness

National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health
Contact: 240-403-1901

The National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health is a s a national family-run organization focused on the issues of children and youth with emotional, behavioral, or mental health needs and their families. Helpful Resources provided by the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health include:

  • Networks of family members available to participate as speakers at awareness events and community dialogues.
  • Fact sheets for Families
  • Youth Empowered portal which shares the work youth are doing at national, community, and local levels and also provides resources and opportunities for youth to join the movement.
  • Find a Local Chapter to further support families, children and youth in your community.

The Trevor Project

Contact to request The Trevor Foundation speakers: Nathan.Belyeu@TheTrevorProject.org, Wes.Nemenz@TheTrevorProject.org, or Arquimides.Pacheco@TheTrevorProject.org

The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.  Helpful resources provided by the Trevor Foundation:

  • The Trevor Project Programs provide life-saving and life-affirming resources for LGBTQ youth and to create safe, accepting and inclusive environments for all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • Educator and Parent Resources including brochures, books, and films
  • Archived webinars focus on how to reduce the risk for suicide, promote resiliency, and incorporate the best practices to create positive environments for all youth and are designed for service providers, educators, and other adults across the country.

Youth M.O.V.E. National
Contact: 800-580-6199

Youth M.O.V.E. National is devoted to improving services and systems that support positive growth and development by uniting the voices of individuals who have lived experience in various systems including mental health, juvenile justice, education, and child welfare. Helpful resources provided by Youth MOVE National:

  • Find a local chapter
  • Youth M.O.V.E. National’s young adult leaders are available to provide authentic young adult voices to participate in community conversations about mental health around the country.

National and Community Organizations 

American Bar Association
Contact: nmhd@americanbar.org

The American Bar Association is committed to improving the legal profession, eliminating bias and enhancing diversity, and advancing the rule of law throughout the United States and around the world. Helpful resources from the American Bar Association:

  • American Bar Association Health Law Section webpage
  • American Bar Association Division for Public Service webpage
  • American Bar Association’s Commission on Youth at Risk has entities that work with professional youth service providers.
  • American Bar Association speakers and facilitators:
    • American Bar Association’s Public Education Committee is familiar with preparing materials and hosting local conversations to promote civic engagement and to educate youth and the general public on important legal and policy considerations and rights.
    • American Bar Association’s trained mediators/facilitators and experts in legal aspects of mental health issues and public safety are available to participate as speakers during community conversations about mental health.
    • American Bar Association’s Section of Dispute Resolution Committee on Public Policy, Consensus Building, and Democracy can identify committee and section members to serve as facilitators for community conversations.

American Psychiatric Association (APA)
Contact: apa@psych.org; 888-35-PSYCH (77924)

The American Psychiatric Association member physicians work together to ensure humane care and effective treatment for all persons with mental disorders, including intellectual disabilities and substance use disorders. Helpful resources from the American Psychiatric Association:

  • Typical or Troubled?™ School Mental Health Education Program address the important role adults can have in a teen's life and the importance of early identification of mental health problems.
  • APA resources on mental health.

American Psychiatric Nurses Association
Contact: 855-863-APNA (2762)

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is committed to the specialty practice of psychiatric-mental health (PMH) nursing and wellness promotion, prevention of mental health problems, and the care and treatment of persons with psychiatric disorders. Helpful resources from the American Psychiatric Nurses Association:

  • Information about mental health nursing and recovery:
  • American Psychiatric Nurses Association speakers available to participate in community conversations about mental health.

Association for Behavioral Health & Wellness (ABHW)
Contact: info@abhw.org; 202-449-7660

The Association for Behavioral Health & Wellness (ABHW) is a national voice for specialty behavioral health and wellness companies. ABHW member companies provide specialty services to treat mental health, substance use and other behaviors that impact health. Helpful resources from ABHW:

  • ABHW members are available to speak about mental health and overall well-being on webinars or at community conversations. Topics of expertise include:
    • Behavioral health
    • Managed care – a checks and balances system that helps allocate fixed health care resources.
    • Equitable mental health coverage (parity)
    • Health Care Reform Implementation
  • ABHW Publications about various ABHW issues.

Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR)/SEIU Healthcare
Contact: info@cirseiu.org; 800-247-8877

The Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) gives residents, interns, and fellows a voice to improve their salary and working conditions, their education and training, and the quality of care they provide to patients. CIR members and alumni are available to be speakers and/or facilitators at community conversations about mental health as well as provide resources for dialogue speakers and facilitators. CIR speakers include:

  • CIR resident physicians currently in training for all specialties, including psychiatry
  • CIR alumni who can share stories about helping patients with mental health problems

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA)
Contact: 800-54-CADCA (22322)

The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) is a membership organization representing those working to make their communities safe, healthy and drug-free. CADCA provides expertise in building coalitions to address local conditions including:

  • Underage and binge drinking
  • Youth tobacco use
  • Illicit drug use
  • Abuse of over-the-counter and prescription medicines

CADCA can support community conversations by providing training and resources to speakers and facilitators.

CADCA can provide local coalition members that will serve as facilitators for community conversations. Contact CADCA to connect with a local prevention coalition; CADCA has members in every state and territory.

Mental Health America
Contact: 800-969-6642

Mental Health America (MHA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping all people live mentally healthier lives. Helpful resources from Mental Health America:

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
Contact: info@nami.org; 800-950-6264

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Contact NAMI to access support, information, and free education programs for families and individuals living with mental health problems. Helpful resources from NAMI:

National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD)
Contact: 202-942-4296

NACBHHD’s network of county and local behavioral health and developmental disability authorities have extensive expertise in county-run mental health, substance use, and intellectual disability/ developmental disability (ID/DD) systems. NACBHDD can help communities:

  • Organize efforts and strengthen local support for community conversations about mental health
  • Identify experts from county governmental organizations to speak at or participate in local events and community conversations

National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHD)
Contact: 703-739-9333

NASMHPD represents state mental health agencies and their directors. NASMHPD can help communities:

  • Connect with State Mental Health Commissioners
  • Identify experts from state governmental organizations to notify about or invite to community conversations and local events.

National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
Contact: 202-684-7457

The National Council represents the nation’s mental health and substance use treatment providers crossing the spectrum of the behavioral healthcare industry including: community mental health centers, substance use treatment organizations, state and county agencies, children and adolescent providers, hospitals, and managed care companies. Helpful resources from the National Council:

  • Visit the National Council’s Find a Provider website for help accessing local treatment and service providers.
  • Find a Local National Council Member Organization to learn more about resources and services available in your community. You may also connect with member organizations to identify invite them to participate in community conversations or planning efforts.

National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery
Contact: 866-247-9058

The National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery’s mission is to ensure that consumers and survivors have a major voice in the development and implementation of health care, mental health, and social policies at the state and national levels, empowering people to recover and lead a full life in the community. National Coalition members are available to participate as speakers at awareness events and community conversations to provide expertise in peer participation in policy development.

National Family Dialogue (NFD)
Contact: Scrossbear@centurytel.net or Sharon@momstell.org

The NFD (National Family Dialogue) is an open forum to exchange information, share concerns and support for families with youth that are experiencing or have experienced Substance Use Disorders. You may contact the NFD for:

  • Family resources for youth with substance use disorders
  • Information about family support networks
  • Participation in educational conference calls
  • Access to NFD Facebook page
  • Resources and current events related to youth substance use
  • NFD’s network of family members is available to participate as speakers at awareness events and community conversations.

National Physicians Alliance
Contact: npa@npalliance.org

The National Physicians Alliance supports research and education programs that promote health and foster active engagement of physicians with their communities to achieve high quality, affordable health care for all.

  • NPA can identify physicians with mental health expertise who can participate in or speakers at awareness events and community conversations.
  • Connect with NPA’s Local Networks for additional ways to collaborate with physicians in your region, state or community.

National PTA
Contact: info@pta.org

The National PTA represents millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of parent involvement in schools. The National PTA can help you find a local PTA representative that you can invite to participate in community conversations and planning efforts.

YWCA USA
Contact: info@ywca.org

YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. You may contact the YWCA in your local area for expertise in mental health services, and supports for women and children who are impacted by domestic violence.