On February 19th Mental Health America celebrated its 100 Year Anniversary with a special event at the McClendon Center in downtown Washington D.C.  Representatives  from the McClendon Center, Veterans for America, the National Institute of Mental Health, the Center for Mental Health Services, the Consumer Leadership Forum and realLives all participated in the Centennial Celebration program. 

To hear comments from our Chairman of the Board John Morris, President and CEO David Shern, and representatives from the various groups, please click on their photos. 

Mental Health America Centennial Event
“It is Time for Mental Health!

February 19th, 2009
McClendon Center, Washington, DC

Mental Health America celebrates a century of mental health advocacy and support for Americans with a mental illness. Over the past 100 years, our groundbreaking work has transformed how the country approaches mental health care, changed attitudes toward mental illness and built a legacy of change and progress. 

Founded in 1909 by Clifford W. Beers, a young businessman who experienced firsthand the treatment of individuals with a mental illness, The National Committee for Mental Hygiene, as it was called in the early years, was the first association of its kind and the beginning of the organized mental health movement in America. 

Today, with our more than 300 affiliates, we represent a growing movement of Americans who promote mental wellness for the health and well-being of the nation.

Read more about our history and accomplishments and the story of our symbol—The Mental Health Bell.