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About Mental Health America of the MidSouth
Serving as a resource for our Tennessee community for so many decades, MHA of the MidSouth identifies vital mental health needs and facilitates the development of programs to meet those challenges and address service gaps. MHA of the MidSouth is a 501(c)3 charitable organization committed to education and support surrounding mental health.
Mission
Our mission is to improve the lives of persons living with mental health challenges by advocating for improved public policy, educating health service providers, and connecting individuals to the right help at the right time.
History
Mental Health America (MHA) is the nation’s oldest and largest mental health advocacy organization. It was founded by Clifford Beers, a consumer of mental health services, in 1909. It was originally the mental hygiene movement that became Mental Health America. At its centennial celebration the name was changed to Mental Health America, and many of the independent affiliates followed suit.
Mental Health America of the MidSouth (MHA MidSouth) was founded in 1946 by Vanderbilt psychiatrist, Frank Luton, M.D., with underwriting provided by the Junior League of Nashville. The core of the organization was a helpline and community resources, which remain a constant today. In 1988, the agency expanded from serving Nashville to serving Middle Tennessee. MHA of the MidSouth grew to provide many programs and services that are available statewide today.
In the early 1950s, Mental Health America issued a call to asylums across the country for their discarded chains and shackles. On April 13, 1953, at the McShane Bell Foundry in Baltimore, Md., Mental Health America melted down these inhumane bindings and recast them into a sign of hope: the Mental Health Bell.
Mental Health America of the MidSouth (MHA MidSouth) was founded in 1946 by Vanderbilt psychiatrist, Frank Luton, M.D., with underwriting provided by the Junior League of Nashville. The core of the organization was a helpline and community resources, which remain a constant today. In 1988, the agency expanded from serving Nashville to serving Middle Tennessee. MHA of the MidSouth grew to provide many programs and services that are available statewide today.
Cast from shackles which bound them, this bell shall ring out hope for the mentally ill and victory over mental illness.
—Inscription on Mental Health Bell