Policy issues
Mental Health America advocates for legislation and policy that will promote the mental health and wellbeing of everyone living in the United States and will positively affect people with mental health conditions and their families.
Mental health policy
Mental Health America (MHA) takes a unique approach to policy because MHA believes policy should ask people what they need to live the lives they want and support them in getting there. Recovery is founded on the principle that people can take on meaningful roles in the community when they receive the support they need for mental health and substance use conditions. MHA’s goal is mental health and wellbeing for all.
MHA – founded in 1909 – is the nation’s leading community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and to promoting overall mental health. Our work is driven by our commitment to promote mental health as a critical part of overall health and wellness.
Together, Mental Health America and our advocacy network mobilized more than 15,000 calls, letters, and meetings with Congressional offices and federal agencies in 2025, advancing crucial progress in mental health policy.
Our work
Prevention education and services for all
Early identification and intervention for those at risk
Services and supports for those who need it
What we fight for
Mental Health America was founded in 1909 by Clifford Beers, an individual who suffered abuse in psychiatric facilities and used the power of his experience to bring about change. In 1959, MHA put out a call throughout the country to send metal shackles from institutions, which were melted down to form the 300-pound Bell of Hope that sits in MHA’s lobby today. These aspects of our history continue to guide MHA’s policy work today.
Unfortunately, the fight is not over. MHA and our affiliates continue to advocate for:
Moving upstream to promote whole person health
Expanding and protecting access to mental health and substance use care
Leveraging innovation to improve experience and outcomes
Statement to come
Strengthening the mental health and substance use workforce, especially peer support
With your help in 2025, we proposed and secured a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21) that requires states to use existing data on file to verify individuals who qualify as exempt from work requirements in Medicaid.
What's happening in 2026: Policy priorities
Our top priorities this year are promoting lived experience, prevention, access, and equity.
Mental Health America position statements
MHA advocates for a system where people are treated with dignity from the very start, and early intervention and prevention of mental health conditions are prioritized.
Our position statements cover:
- System transformation
- Rights and privacy
- Treatment and access
- Children’s mental health
- Criminal justice and mental health
- Services issues
- Linkage to broader issues
We generated nearly 1,000 comments in 2025 to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in support of key changes in the Physician Fee Schedule, which were finalized and will improve the system for valuing care and add behavioral health integration codes to comprehensive primary care payments.
Recent actions and resources
MHA frequently sends letters to federal agencies and congressional offices to inform policymaking and funding. We also share resources to help our affiliate field understand policy changes that impact their work locally. Here are some of our recent actions.
Mental Health America FY26 Appropriations Letter (PDF)
May 8, 2025 Letter to Congress on President’s budget effect on mental health (PDF)
Comment letter to CMS on Medicare Advantage Quality Bonus Payment Program (PDF)
Comment letter to Office of Head Start about mental health changes (PDF)
Comment letter to CMS about network adequacy in Medicare Advantage (PDF)
MHLG Coalition letter to Congress on end of year priorities (PDF)
Get involved
We secured level funding for the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) in the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2025 annual spending bill, sparing it from across-the-board cuts that many other programs faced and preventing consolidation with the substance use and state opioid response block grants, as proposed in the president’s budget.
Youth and policy
About MHA’s Young Leaders Initiatives
Youth leadership
Youth Policy Accelerator
Breaking the Algorithm
Challenging, Sustaining, and Evolving: An Anthology on Youth Mental Health Advocacy (and Hope)