Resources

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation and to improve the lives of individuals living with mental and substance use disorders, and their families.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. NIMH is one of the 27 Institutes and Centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest biomedical research agency in the world. NIH is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

​MHA’s programs and initiatives fulfill its mission of promoting mental health and preventing mental illness through advocacy, education, research and services. MHA’s national office and its 200+ affiliates and associates around the country work every day to protect the rights and dignity of individuals with lived experience and ensure that peers and their voices are integrated into all areas of the organization.

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

988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), and is now active across the United States. When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary.

Trans Lifeline is run by and for trans people. Trans Lifeline is a grassroots hotline and microgrants 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis – for the trans community, by the trans community.

Teen Line's highly trained teen listeners provide support, resources and hope to any teen who is struggling. Teen Line provides support, resources, and hope to young people through a hotline of professionally trained teen counselors, and outreach programs that de-stigmatize and normalize mental health.

Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services has provided free mental health, substance use disorder and suicide prevention services since 1942. Dedicated to serving communities where stigma or poverty limits access, Didi Hirsch helps more than 150,000 children and adults from 11 locations and 100 schools throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties each year.

DHCS is the backbone of California’s health care safety net, helping millions of low-income and disabled Californians each and every day.

The California Mental Health Services Authority is a Joint Powers of Authority (JPA) formed in 2009 by counties throughout the state to work on collaborative, multi-county projects that improve behavioral health care for all Californians. By pooling resources, forging partnerships, and leveraging technical expertise on behalf of counties, CalMHSA develops strategies and programs with an eye toward transforming community mental health; creates cross-county innovations; and is dedicated to addressing equity to better meet the needs of our most vulnerable populations. As a JPA, CalMHSA is not a state agency but is held to many of the same standards as other public entities, such as the Brown Act for all of its meetings.

Disability Rights California (DRC) is the agency designated under federal law to protect and advocate for the rights of Californians with disabilities. We work in litigation, legal representation, advocacy services, investigations, public policy, and provide information, advice, referral, and community outreach.

We transform lives by promoting wellness, recovery, community inclusion, and peer support through training, technical assistance, and advocacy. We are the international leaders in wellness facilitation training including Wellness Recovery Action Plan®.