Programs and Services

Advocacy: MHA-EM works with mental health agencies throughout the state to improve the delivery of public sector services in Missouri. Activities include legislative education and advocacy for increased funding and improved statutes regarding mental health, participation in the Missouri Federation of Advocates for Mental Health and Substance Abuse services, and working to ensure access to medication.

Suicide Prevention Education: In Missouri, the rate of adolescent suicide is higher than the national average and increases as students reach young adulthood. SuicidePREV (Prevention, Response, Education, Victory) is an interactive training aimed at reducing adolescent suicide. This program educates school staff, counselors, social workers and parents to recognize the symptoms of depression, warning signs of suicide, and how to intervene appropriately. SuicidePREV provides participants with resources and skills to help teens struggling with mental health conditions. Click here for a SuicidePREV flyer. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   for more information.

Representative Payee Program: This program serves persons with chronic mental illness who are required to have a payee manage benefits income. As part of an overall recovery strategy, the program's main goal is to ensure financial responsibilities are met each month. Participants and staff work together to create a budget. This creates a more stable environment in which the client can focus on additional aspects of improved mental wellness. Click here for a Rep Payee flyer. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   for more information.

B.R.I.D.G.E.S. (Building Recovery of Individual Dreams & Goals through Education & Support): This peer-to-peer, self-help program provides education and support to people with psychiatric illnesses. It empowers students to take an active role in treatment and recovery. It also provides a framework for social interaction, inclusion and increased self-esteem. The support groups provide a foundation for maintaining a mentally healthy life. Click here for a short story about Ruth's experience in BRIDGES. Click here for a B.R.I.D.G.E.S. flyer. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   for more information.

Law Enforcement Training: These services educate officers and 911 dispatchers to readily identify and more effectively interact with people in a mental health crisis. It increases participants' knowledge of and access to community resources. Through collaboration with local agencies and police departments, we produce and distribute Street Talk, a quarterly mental health newsletter designed specifically for law enforcement. Each May, MHA-EM presents the John J. McAtee award to officers who have shown compassion, concern and understanding when interacting with persons in psychiatric crisis.

Information & Referral (I&R): This service assists persons to better understand the mental health service system, helps identify services provided by clinicians, self-help groups, mental health organizations and other agencies, and provides educational materials on a wide range of mental wellness and mental health concerns.

Self-Help Services:  As the local clearinghouse for self-help groups, MHA-EM maintains a database and publishes a directory of self-help groups in the metropolitan area. The directory can purchased, or individuals, agencies and clinicians can call MHA-EM for a referral to a group. Consultation and assistance is provided to individuals or organizations that wish to form a new group.