Nevada Family Psychiatry Top 20 US Mental Health Organizations (Part 2)

In a recent post, I listed the first 10 of my personal list of 20 top US-based mental health organizations. Now, let’s go over the other 10 organizations comprising the rest of the list.

As I mentioned before, my informal criteria for including an organization on the list are: a) being well-established and credible; b) having goals of education and raising awareness; c) having a well-organized website with extensive resource links.

11) The Gaples Institute for Integrative Cardiology (www.gaplesinstitute.org)  I will have to admit that this is not strictly a “mental health” link but it is such a great site I couldn’t help myself!  This group is led by a cardiologist  based out Northwestern University in Chicago with the mission to provide leadership in advocacy and education regarding the powerful role of nutrition and lifestyle changes.  From their own web site: “The Gaples Institute intends to be recognized as the leading national provider of educational resources that empower health care professionals and the community to promote heart health through nutrition and lifestyle changes”.   I personally use this site often as a resource in Mental health on the latest in good nutrition and “food as medicine” which is something I deeply believe.  It is a resource not just for patients of Nevada Family Psychiatry  but for any clinician caring for patients.   If your interested, they have an app as well!

12) Mental Health America (http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net)  MHA focuses on the goal of overall wellness through leading mentally healthier lives. They emphasize prevention and early identification of mental health issues, and have an active network of affiliated chapters nationwide. Their advocacy, education and awareness programs are noteworthy, as is their annual “Mental Health Month” campaign.

13) National Alliance on Mental Illness (https://www.nami.org)  One of the largest and best known mental health organizations, NAMI offers outstanding education, advocacy and support programs. Their ‘Family to Family’ education program is an incredible resource for family members of persons affected by mental illness, and their large network of state and local chapters is another huge asset. As with the DBSA  (http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=home) (#8 on our list) NAMI is a wonderful resource both national and local and many of our patients at Nevada Family Psychiatry attend their meetings  locally and use their web site as a resource.

14) National Center for PTSD (http://www.ptsd.va.gov)  Administered by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Center for PTSD provides professional and consumer resources for the identification and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related conditions. US veterans will also find a locator service for treatment programs within the large VA system.

15) National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (https://www.ncadd.org) – Founded in 1944, NCADD’s mission is “saving lives and helping families recover” from drug and alcohol addiction. Their website is a comprehensive resource for educational materials, treatment and support options, and many other tools for both the person in recovery and for their loved ones.

16) National Eating Disorders Association (http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org) – NEDA provides advocacy and support for individuals and their families who are affected by eating disorders. They provide links to an impressive array of support networks, treatment information, and other resources, including an information and referral helpline and an affiliated website where young people can obtain support.

17) National Institute of Mental Health (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml) – NIMH is the leading US federal agency for research on mental disorders. Their vision is a world in which mental illness are prevented and cured through a mission of promoting basic and clinical research. The NIMH website provides links to numerous educational and scientific resources, including the latest research updates about mental health conditions.

18) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (http://www.samhsa.gov) – SAMHSA, an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services, is a real behemoth in terms of the volume of its resource information. Through a series of science-based publications and countless other online materials, they provide extensive information about almost every aspect of mental health and substance abuse treatment. Their recovery-based toolkits are the gold standard for implementing top-notch mental health programs.

19) Treatment Advocacy Center (http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org) – The Treatment Advocacy Center strives to eliminate barriers to the treatment of severe mental illness, to promote laws, policies and practices for the delivery of improved psychiatric care and to support the development of innovative treatments for these conditions. They have a very active advocacy network and a strong media presence.

20) The Trevor Project (http://www.thetrevorproject.org)  Described as the “leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24,” The Trevor Project website provides extensive educational resources, a support center, and access to support through a crisis lifeline, plus text and chat options for further assistance.

As I said in my previous post with the first 10 organizations on the list, these groups offer a wealth of useful information to help educate, empower, and support those with mental health conditions and the people who care about them.

Take some time to access these great resources, and feel free to support one or more of these organizations if you want to get more involved.

Here’s a question: What other mental health organizations have you found helpful? Please leave a comment. Also, please feel free to “Like” my Facebook, or connect on LinkedIn.