MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF ST LOUIS

At MHA, we believe there is no health without mental health. We demonstrate this belief through advocacy, education and service. The overarching goal for all programs and services is to help individuals achieve their optimum level of mental wellness.

We teach people how to take action to improve mental well-being and we offer supportive services for those who face mental health challenges. MHA assists the community in a variety of ways: link individuals to mental health services, professionals and support groups; answer questions and provide information about mental health concerns; deliver mental wellness seminars designed to improve overall health and well-being; increase the community's overall knowledge and awareness of mental health information and strategies for self-care; offer supportive services for adults with chronic mental illness. Our programs include: Mental Health Helpline; BRIDGES (a peer-led mental health recovery program); Representative Payee Services (manage the federally-funded benefits and financial responsibilities of individuals whose mental illness prevents them from doing so on their own); Mental Wellness Seminars; News You Can Use (weekly e-communication with mental health information and strategies for positive mental health); and crisis training for first responders.

MHA staff consists of: CEO with masters degree in social work, 25+ years experience in non-profit social services, and 16 years in leadership as executive director/CEO; Communications and Development Director with a B.A degree in English and 30 + years experience in non-profit development; Mental Wellness Director with 26 years experience in private practice and more than 10 years teaching mental health courses at the college level; Director of Mental Health Information with a bachelors degree in social work and psychology, and more than 25 years experience in the non-profit mental health field; Representative Payee Program Director with more than 20 years experience in the disabilities determination field and mental health case management services; two direct-service staff with lived experience successfully managing a mental health diagnosis; a Database and Event Coordinator with more than 5 years experience in the non-profit sector.

MHA's daily work is bolstered and supported by an active and engaged Board of Directors with expertise in the mental health, business, and financial sectors.

Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri (MHA-EM) recognized a significant milestone in 2020: a 75th Anniversary. We are proud of our history as the go-to source for mental health resources, advocacy and education in the region. In 2019, our Representative Payee Program marked a 20-year milestone, having provided financial security and support to an estimated 2,500 individuals with serious mental illness. During 2019, 244 people living with serious mental illness found a pathway to support and recovery through the BRIDGES Program; 520 mental health professionals gained new skills in the field with our Professional Development presentations and over 3,000 people discovered new strategies for wellness and mental health strategies by participating in our Mental Wellness Seminars. In 2020, we launched the Collegiate Mental Innovation Council and during Covid-19, are proud to participate in Missouri's Show Me Hope Crisis Counseling Program.