National Mental Health Advocacy and Education Organizations

Mental Health America (MHA)

MHA is the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and promoting the overall mental health of all.

mhanational.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

nami.org/Home

National Council for Mental Wellbeing

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a membership organization that drives policy and social change on behalf of nearly 3,500 mental health and substance use treatment organizations and the more than 10 million children, adults and families they serve. They advocate for policies to ensure equitable access to high-quality services

thenationalcouncil.org

Zencare

Find free mental health resources, guides, and downloadable materials and posters.

zencare.co/resources

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

SAMHSA is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

samhsa.gov

Substance Use Prevention and Education (SUPE)

SUPE is an non-profit, drug education and prevention platform to help educate people of all ages and fields of work on drug and alcohol use.

SUPE

10,000 Beds

10,000 Beds is a nonprofit organization that connects individuals without resources who are seeking help for a substance disorder to vetted treatment programs through their scholarship program. 10,000 Beds’ mission is to change perceptions of addiction and recovery while supporting families and communities affected by the disease of addiction.

10,000 Beds

National Low Income Housing Coalition 

The National Low Income Housing Coalition is dedicated solely to achieving socially just public policy that ensures people with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes.

nlihc.org

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Available 24/7. Dial or text 9-8-8

Free and confidential support is available 24/7 nationwide for anyone experiencing a mental health or suicide crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. Calls from Idaho will be directed to the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Hotline, a member of the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (Lifeline).

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

The Trevor Lifeline

The Trevor Lifeline is the only national 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for LGBTQ young people under 25.

(866) 488-7386

thetrevorproject.org/about/programs-services

Trans Lifeline

Trans Lifeline is a grassroots hotline and non-profit organization offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis – for the trans community, by the trans community.

(877) 564-6366

translifeline.org

Veterans Crisis Line

The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource available to any Veteran, even if they are not enrolled in VA health care or registered with VA. Care does not end when the conversation is over. The Veterans Crisis Line can connect Veterans to their local suicide prevention coordinators (SPC), who follow up to coordinate care.

(800) 273-8255 and press 1

veteranscrisisline.net

Inclusive Therapists

Inclusive Therapists is a collection of therapists who center the needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. They honor the full neurodiversity spectrum and advocate for mental health care accessibility for people with disabilities/disabled people. They offer a provider directory to assist in finding local therapists.

inclusivetherapists.com

National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network

The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN) is a healing justice organization committed to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color (QTPoC). They work at the intersection of movements for social justice and the field of mental health to integrate healing justice into both of these spaces. Their overall goal is to increase access to healing justice resources for QTPoC.

nqttcn.com

Black Mental Health Alliance

Black Mental Health Alliance’s mission is to develop, promote and sponsor trusted culturally-relevant educational forums, trainings, and referral services that support the health and well-being of Black people and their communities. Black Mental Health Alliance also provides a directory of black psychiatrists nationally.

blackmentalhealth.com

Melanin and Mental Health

Melanin and Mental Health’s mission is to connect POC with clinicians that are culturally competent and dedicated to helping minority communities, promote and advocate for culturally competent clinicians, provide free resources to providers and community members, and have regular events for minority community members.

melaninandmentalhealth.com

Therapy for Black Girls

Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is a licensed psychologist, speaker and the host of the wildly popular mental health podcast, Therapy for Black Girls. Her work focuses on making mental health topics more relevant and accessible for Black women and she delights in using pop culture to illustrate psychological concepts.

therapyforblackgirls.com

NAMI BIPOC Resource Page

NAMI has compiled a list of resources for BIPOC individuals to better access mental and behavioral health care. This webpage includes: information on barriers to care; information on how to seek culturally competent care; NAMI’s Sharing Hope program; and Black mental health resources.

nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/Black-African-American

BIPOC in Higher Education

College Parents of America has curated a comprehensive list of helpful resources that will help BIPOC students and their parents, teachers, college counselors and community members to cultivate awareness, become allies, form affinity groups and address mental health concerns, from the first interest in higher education through graduation.

collegeparents.org/bipoc-in-higher-education

Inclusive Therapists

Inclusive Therapists is a collection of therapists who center the needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. They honor the full neurodiversity spectrum and advocate for mental health care accessibility for people with disabilities/disabled people. They offer a provider directory to assist in finding local therapists.

inclusivetherapists.com

American Association or Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) Find a Professional

AASECT is a not-for-profit, interdisciplinary professional organization. With its history of impeccable standards for training, experience and ethical behavior, AASECT is increasingly recognized as the guardian of professional standards in sexual health. AASECT’s provider directory can connect you to providers across the country competent in working with people across the LGBTQ+ spectrum as well as working with other sexual-related issues.

aasect.org/referral-directory

Finding an LGBTQIA+ Affirming Therapist: Questions and Answers to Help

This article from Heathline explains how to find a therapist who will affirm LGBTQ+ identities.

healthline.com/health/mental-health/therapy-for-lgbt#referrals

Trevor Project

The Trevor Project was founded more than two decades ago to respond to a public health crisis impacting LGBTQ youth — a crisis whose magnitude is huge, and one that we have worked tirelessly to end. LGBTQ young people are more than four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers, and suicide remains the second leading cause of death among all young people in the United States. The Trevor Project has become the leading global organization responding to the crisis of LGBTQ youth suicide.

thetrevorproject.org

GLAAD

GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love.

glaad.org

LGBT National Hotline

The LGBT National Hotline provides a safe space that is anonymous and confidential where callers can speak on many different issues and concerns including, but limited to, coming out issues, gender and/or sexuality identities, relationship concerns, bullying, workplace issues, HIV/AIDS anxiety, safer sex information, suicide, and much more.

(888) 843-4564

lgbthotline.org

Trans Lifeline

Trans Lifeline is a grassroots hotline and non-profit organization offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis – for the trans community, by the trans community.

(877) 564-6366

translifeline.org

Self-Esteem Resources for Nonbinary Adolescents and Teens

This article from Online Counseling Programs provides a wealth of self-esteem resources for nonbinary adolescents and teens, and their families.

44 Self-Esteem Resources for Nonbinary Adolescents and Teens

Resources for Allies and Transgender People in Tech

This blog post from University of Denver has a comprehensive list of resources for allies and transgender people in tech.

Emphasizing and Empowering the T in LGBTQ for Allies and Transgender People in Tech

Resources for LGBTQ+ College Students

Here are some helpful resources for LGBTQ+ college students, their friends, families, allies, and anyone else who wishes to learn more.

44 Resources for LGBTQ+ College Students

NAMI Veterans & Active Duty Resource Page

NAMI has created a Veterans & Active Duty Resource page for mental health issues. It addresses mental health concerns, who to talk to, how it will affect your career, how to help other veterans, transitioning to civilian life, and how to maintain a strong mind and body.

nami.org/Your-Journey/Veterans-Active-Duty

Veterans Crisis Line

The Veterans Crisis Line is a free, confidential resource available to any Veteran, even if they are not enrolled in VA health care or registered with VA. Care does not end when the conversation is over. The Veterans Crisis Line can connect Veterans to their local suicide prevention coordinators (SPC), who follow up to coordinate care.

United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Mental Health

The VA provides support for a variety of mental health conditions and other challenges, including: anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, effects of traumatic brain injuries, sexual trauma, post traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, substance use, suicide prevention, and tobacco use.

National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC)

NAC is dedicated to improving the quality of life for friend and family caregivers and those in their care, by advancing research, advocacy, and innovation.

caregiving.org

National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA)

NFCA supports, empowers, educates, and speaks up for the more than 50 million Americans who care for a chronically ill, aged, or disabled loved one. NFCA reaches across the boundaries of different diagnoses, different relationships and different life stages to address the common needs and concerns of all family caregivers.

caringcommunity.org

The National Council on Aging (NCOA)

We will deliver the resources, tools, best practices, and advocacy our nation needs to ensure that every person can age with health and financial security.

ncoa.org

National Institute on Aging (NIH)

NIA, one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of NIH, leads a broad scientific effort to understand the nature of aging and to extend the healthy, active years of life. NIA is the primary Federal agency supporting and conducting Alzheimer’s disease research.

nia.nih.gov

National Institute on Mental Health – Information About Eating Disorders

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. Their “Eating Disorders” page shares information about eating disorders, signs and symptoms, risk factors, treatment, clinical trials, and places to learn more about eating disorders.

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders (ANAD) Helpline

ANAD’s free, eating disorders Helpline is available to provide emotional support and referrals. People can call for any of the following reasons: if you think you have an eating disorder, if you think someone else has an eating disorder, treatment referrals, support and encouragement, and general questions about eating disorders. The hotline can be reached at 1 (888) 375-7767 and is available Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. MT.

https://anad.org/get-help/eating-disorders-helpline/

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – Eating Disorders

SAMHSA is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA’s “Eating Disorders” page (also available in Spanish) shares information about eating disorder signs, causes, and symptoms, how to get help for eating disorders, and resources.

https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/eating-disorders

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Eating Disorders Support

NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI’s “Eating Disorders Support” page provides information about how people dealing with eating disorders can support themselves and how loved ones can support people dealing with eating disorders.

https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Eating-Disorders/Support

American Counseling Association

The American Counseling Association is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. Founded in 1952, ACA is the world’s largest association exclusively representing professional counselors in various practice settings.

counseling.org

National Association of Social Workers

Founded in 1955, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies.

socialworkers.org

Supporting Telehealth and Technology-Assisted Services for People Who Use Drugs: A Resource Guide

This resource guide, developed by the National Council and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), intends to help harm reduction organizations, substance abuse disorder (SUD) treatment providers and other organizations that serve people who use drugs (PWUD) overcome challenges associated with implementing telehealth and technology-assisted services and leverage these advances to help improve the health and wellness of PWUD.

Explore the Resource Guide

The Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity

The Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity provides behavioral health practitioners with training, coaching, and technical assistance to implement change strategies within mental health and substance use disorder treatment systems to address disparities effecting LGBTQ+ people across all stages of life.

lgbtqequity.org

Selfis, redes sociales y pantallas: Navegando por espacios virtuales para jóvenes: Recursos para el regreso a clases 2023

La campaña y los recursos para el regreso a clases se desarrollaron para ayudar a aumentar la comprensión de cómo la actividad en línea afecta la salud mental de niños y adolescentes. Las hojas informativas, imágenes compartibles y otros materiales del kit de herramientas se pueden utilizar para ayudar a manejar los desafíos de los espacios virtuales y empoderar a los jóvenes para que tomen decisiones informadas para su salud mental y su bienestar.

Kit de Herramientas

Cultura, comunidad y conexión: Kit de herramientas de salud mental de BIPOC 2023

La campaña del mes de la salud mental de comunidades negras, indígenas y de personas de color (BIPOC, por sus siglas en inglés) y el kit de herramientas se diseñaron para proporcionar información de salud mental culturalmente sensible para resaltar tres pilares centrales de cultura, comunidad y conexión y cuán integrales son para comunidades BIPOC. El kit de herramientas incluye hojas informativas, hojas de trabajo, imágenes para compartir y más que pueden ayudar en el discurso comunitario y guiar a las personas hacia recursos útiles.

Kit de Herramientas

Nuevo Centro de Recursos de Salud Mental en español

Nuestro centro de recursos en español proporciona una colección completa de materiales de salud mental para ayudar a individuos, familias y otras personas a acceder valiosos recursos de salud mental para la comunidad que habla español.

Centro Español de Recursos de Salud Mental

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Hispanic/Latinx Mental Health Information

NAMI’s website page covers these topics related to Hispanic/Latinx mental health:

  • Identity and culture
  • Barriers to mental health care
  • How to seek culturally and linguistically competent care
  • Mental health resources

https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/Hispanic-Latinx

Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network (MHTTC) Hispanic Heritage Month Resources

In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, MHTTC created a website page with Hispanic and Latinx mental health resources including:

  • Upcoming MHTTC events
  • MHTTC resources
  • Resources from other organizations

https://mhttcnetwork.org/centers/mhttc-network-coordinating-office/hispanic-heritage-month

The Breathe Network

The Breathe Network connects survivors of sexual trauma with sliding-scale, trauma-informed, holistic healing practitioners across the United States and Canada. Additionally, the Breathe Network trains healing, health, and wellness professionals on the nuanced mind, body and soul impacts of sexual violence and how to cultivate best practices in trauma-informed care.

TheBreatheNetwork.org

Mental Health America’s 2022 – 2023 Back to School Toolkit

MHA’s 2022 – 2023 Back to School toolkit aims to help students, parents, and school personnel recognize how feeling unsafe can impact mental health and school performance, and what can be done to help young people who are struggling with their mental health.

English Toolkit

 

Spanish Toolkit

The No Surprises Act

Starting in 2022, there are new protections that prevent surprise medical bills. If you have private health insurance, these new protections ban the most common types of surprise bills. If you’re uninsured or you decide not to use your health insurance for a service, under these protections, you can often get a good faith estimate of the cost of your care up front, before your visit. If you disagree with your bill, you may be able to dispute the charges. Here’s what you need to know about your new rights.

No Surprises Act Fact Sheet