On Sept. 18, Mental Health America conducted its 2024 Affiliate Day, an event held in advance of the 2024 Mental Health America Main Conference. The event spotlighted a handful of the most successful programs built by some of MHA’s 140 affiliates around the country, and featured presentations from affiliate leadership.

The highlighted programs included: Mental Health America of Southeast Florida’s Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS) Team program; Mental Health America of Lancaster County’s wellness program for older adults; Mental Health Association in New York State’s CarePath program; Mental Health America - Wabash Valley Region’s Let's Talk Service; Mental Health Association of East Tennessee’s Treatment Access Bank program; and Mental Health Association of Fauquier County’s Spiritual First Aid course.

During the event’s luncheon, the 2024 Richard Van Horn Innovation in Programming Award, an award recognizing excellence in mission-centered affiliate programming, was given to the Mental Health Association of East Tennessee for their Treatment Access Bank program.

Treatment Access Bank director Rose Patterson shared, “Our approach is unique in the way we focus on ALICE (asset limited income constrained employed) population. We really wanted to make this something that everyone has a stake in.”

In addition to recognizing impactful affiliate programming, the event also featured sessions from MHA National staff and other industry experts aimed at providing helpful insight for affiliate leaders in attendance. Topics included state and federal advocacy, workplace wellness, grant writing, software integration, and building communities of practice.

In the keynote session, Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Labor Department, Lisa Gomez, along with other panelists, updated affiliate leaders on how federal regulation, litigation, and health plans are evolving to improve access to mental health care.

While Affiliate Day is a full-day event geared toward MHA’s affiliate network and leadership, MHA affiliates and their programming will continue to be on display throughout the 2024 Mental Health America Main Conference, from September 19-21.