15 Mental Health Charities Doing The Work

Mental health awareness sits at the heart of many nonprofits’ central mission. Knowing that 1 out of 5 U.S. adults experiences mental illness each year, we recognized a need to elevate the top organizations dedicating their efforts to supporting these individuals through funding, resources, and educational programs.

This list of mental health organizations celebrates those offering assistance to improve the holistic well-being of people across the globe. Learn how these nonprofits are stepping up to provide critical services and increase public awareness of mental health treatment and advocacy.

Mental Health by the Numbers

Mental health conditions are increasing worldwide. Here are a few quick stats to consider:¹

• 19.86% of American adults are experiencing a mental illness, 4.91% of whom are experiencing a severe mental illness
• Mental illness ranges in prevalence by state, ranging from 16.37% of the population in New Jersey to 26.86% in Utah
• 11.1% of adults in the U.S. (over 5.5 million) with a mental illness remain uninsured
• Over half (56%) of American adults with mental illness receive no treatment

The Impact of Mental Health Charities on Wellness Worldwide

Emotional and mental well-being sits at the core of almost everything we do. Without it, our relationships, productivity levels, and physical health suffer. Mental health organizations create organic avenues for peer support, mental health research, and access to qualified providers. Their work allows people to receive the care, education, and funding they need to overcome their mental disorders and live their fullest lives.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) envisions a world where all people affected by mental illness live healthy, fulfilling lives supported by communities that care. They provide advocacy, education, mental health support, and public awareness so all individuals and families affected by mental illness can recover.

Built on the values of hope, inclusion, empowerment, compassion, and fairness, NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for millions of Americans.

This mental health nonprofit serves people in the U.S. through:

• Education programs and support groups
• Public policy reform
• Toll-free NAMI HelpLine
• Public awareness events and activities, including Mental Illness Awareness Week and NAMIWalks

Learn how you can support NAMI’s important work towards providing better mental health care.

To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA)

To Write Love on Her Arms is a nonprofit dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, and inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

Since its start in 2006, this nonprofit has donated over $3 million directly to mental health treatment and recovery, making it possible for people to access mental health care when they need it the most.

Each year, TWLOHA connects over 11 million people in more than 100 countries to the message that hope and help are real. Annually, their work to provide mental health resources connects 40,000 people to services like crisis lines, support groups, and affordable local mental health resources through the FIND HELP Tool.

Since 2006, the TWLOHA team has responded to 210,000 messages from people worldwide, traveled more than 3.8 million miles to meet people in their communities, shared more than 1,100 blog posts, and launched a podcast to let others know they’re not alone.

Fountain House

Fountain House is a national mental health nonprofit fighting to improve behavioral health, increase opportunity, and end social and economic isolation for people most impacted by mental health challenges.

This organization draws on more than 200 community-based social rehabilitative programs, known as clubhouses, to fight for the dignity and rights of people with serious mental illness. With clubhouses in nearly 40 states and more than 60,000 members, Fountain House is transforming how the world sees mental health.

The mental health nonprofit addresses both its members’ health and social needs through an integrated model that connects its physical clubhouse with access to clinical support, housing, and care management.

Fountain House offers:

• College re-entry and young adult programming
• Policy and advocacy work
• Mental health emergency response
• Evaluation of system barriers to develop practical solutions

Project HEAL

Project HEAL is on a mission to create a world where everyone with an eating disorder has the opportunities and resources they need to recover. As the only major nonprofit in the U.S. focused on creating equitable treatment access for all people with eating disorders, they stand firmly behind their belief that treatment is a right, not a privilege.

Their programs break down systemic, healthcare, and financial barriers that millions of people in the U.S. face when trying to heal from their eating disorders.

This nonprofit offers support through four main pathways:

• Clinical assessment
• Insurance navigation
• Treatment placement
• Cash assistance

In addition, the mental health nonprofit has partnered with EAT Lab at the University of Louisville. This partnership allows the organization to anchor its efforts to reform the eating disorder treatment landscape and influence future policy and legal changes within the healthcare system to ensure equitable healthcare access for all.

Saprea

Saprea exists to liberate individuals and society from child sexual abuse and its lasting impacts. The trauma of child sexual abuse can have lifelong impacts, resulting in an increased risk of mental health issues, substance abuse, suicide attempts, dropping out of school, and incarceration.

This nonprofit is dedicated to empowering survivors with healing strategies, skills, and resources to reduce trauma symptoms, experience post-traumatic growth, and significantly improve the quality of their lives.

Saprea also encourages parents and caregivers to proactively learn and apply the preventative skills needed to reduce the risk of sexual abuse impacting the children they love. In addition, they provide courses to help create awareness for this worldwide epidemic and guide community members on how to get involved.

The organization’s impact is felt by thousands of people worldwide through its unique offerings, including:

• The Saprea retreat
• Survivor-led support groups
• Online healing resources
• Community education classes
• Prevention resources

Learn more about Saprea’s life-changing work and how you can get involved to take action in your community.

International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)

The mission of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) is to help those impacted by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders to live full and productive lives.

This mental health organization aims to increase access to effective treatment through research and training, foster a hopeful and supportive community for those affected by OCD and the professionals who treat them, and fight the stigma surrounding mental disorders.

To improve outcomes for individuals with OCD and related disorders, IOCDF offers:

• Connection to treatment and support through their comprehensive Resource Directory
• Free educational resources through virtual programming
• Community events and programs to help raise awareness and provide support
• Opportunities to engage in public policy advocacy and grassroots advocacy
• A comprehensive curriculum of professional training opportunities through the IOCDF Training Institute
• Funding to OCD and related disorders research

See how you can help challenge stigma, increase mental health fundraising, and create awareness about what it means to have OCD.

Crisis Text Line

Crisis Text Line stands at the intersection of empathy and innovation, promoting mental wellness for people wherever they are.

The mental health organization provides free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention by empowering a community of trained volunteers to support people in their moments of need. Last year, Crisis Text Line’s volunteer Crisis Counselors had 1.3 million conversations with people in crisis in the U.S.

Crisis Text Line is on the frontlines of addressing the mental health crisis by spreading empathy. As we emerge from a pandemic with a shared experience of isolation and loneliness, a sense of belonging is crucial for humans to connect, for stronger communities to be built, and for our global community to thrive. Learn how to join Crisis Text Line to build an empathetic world where nobody feels alone.

Active Minds

Active Minds is the nation’s premier nonprofit organization supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults. Dedicated to saving lives and building stronger families and communities, this organization is changing the conversation about mental wellness.

Since 2003, Active Minds has served as the voice of young people disproportionately affected by mental illnesses, focusing on how mental health is addressed on campuses and in society. The organization is present in over 1,000 schools, communities, and workplaces nationwide, including more than 600 student-led chapters.

Over 15,000 young adults join Active Minds each year to encourage their peers to learn about, discuss, and seek help for mental health issues without shame. This peer-to-peer approach addresses individual needs and the overall culture in our country.

Learn more about Active Minds’ strategic plan to discover how you can show your support.

MARR Addiction Treatment Centers (MARR)

More than 23 million Americans struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. Knowing that only about 10% of that population receives the treatment they need, MARR Addiction Treatment Centers is a private organization that provides long-term residential addiction treatment to men and women.

This mental health nonprofit is dedicated to bringing lasting recovery through intensive, high-quality, gender-specific rehab programs. Accredited by The Joint Commission, MARR is fully licensed under the state laws of Georgia.

MARR continues to set the standard in long-term residential addiction treatment by helping clients identify the core issues behind their drug and alcohol abuse and redefine their futures. Through the use of technology and community resources, this organization is also working to educate the public about the disease of addiction to save, protect, and improve the lives of thousands nationwide.

Explore how you can play a part in the lives of those struggling with addiction and behavioral health.

Alliance of Hope for Suicide Loss Survivors

The Alliance of Hope is a leading online source of support for people who are coping with the devastating loss of a loved one to suicide.

Most who have experienced suicide loss say they never knew such pain existed, yet society is largely unaware of the degree to which survivors are impacted. Suicide loss survivors are 64% more likely to attempt suicide, and 80% more likely to quit their jobs or drop out of school, compared to those who have suffered a sudden loss to a natural cause.²

Since 2008, the Alliance of Hope has been working to decrease stigma, increase understanding of the suicide loss experience, and provide direct support to survivors from many cultures and faith traditions worldwide.

The Alliance of Hope offers a wide range of mental health services, including a 24/7 online community forum, phone and Zoom consultations by trained trauma and loss professionals, support groups, and more.

Exhale Pro-Voice

The Exhale Pro-Voice community supports people who have had abortions and people who care about people who have had abortions. The organization’s Pro-Voice approach centers on each individual’s unique context, family, culture, and abortion experiences.

Through non judgemental, supportive counseling, the nonprofit helps individuals cope with the full range of emotions after an abortion. They also offer an After-Abortion Textline, support groups, a library of resources, and self-care tips.

Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

On a mission to help empower recovery and well-being for all, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation serves as a force of healing and hope for families affected by substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions.

Hazelden Betty Ford now has treatment centers and telehealth services nationwide, as well as a network of collaborators throughout health care. With a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Hazelden Betty Ford also encompasses:

• A fully accredited graduate school of addiction studies
• A dedicated addiction and recovery research center
• Community and school-based prevention programs and resources
• Specialized program for family members, loved ones, and children

Inheritance of Hope

Inspiring hope in young families facing the loss of a parent is no small feat, but Inheritance of Hope has been committed to this goal since 2007.

To offer comfort and support during challenging times, the nonprofit offers Hope@Home Groups to connect with others who are going through similar experiences, as well as Hope Hub in-person local gatherings with group activities.

If a family is facing the loss of a parent and needs a moment of rest, Inheritance of Hope will cover their weekend meals and entertain their children from Friday to Sunday at no cost.

Best yet, the Legacy Retreats are destination experiences where families create lifelong memories and receive the tools to navigate the challenges of terminal illnesses. Each family will enjoy three nights and four days visiting Magic Kingdom and Universal Studios. All food, lodging, and activities are covered.

SHE RECOVERS Foundation

SHE RECOVERS is a nonprofit movement dedicated to redefining recovery, inspiring hope, ending stigma, and empowering women in or seeking recovery from substance use disorders, other behavioral health issues, and life challenges. Its goal is to increase women’s recovery capital, heal themselves, and help other women do the same.

With a growing and evolving community currently consisting of more than 325,000 women, this lifeline organization connects women through its virtual platforms and in-person community networks, provides resources and supports women to develop their own holistic recovery patchworks, and empowers them to thrive and share their successes.

With a special focus on research, the SHE RECOVERS Foundation can also establish a more robust evidence base related to the efficacy of non-traditional recovery pathways.

WholeSchool Mindfulness

On average, U.S. teens spend 7 hours and 22 minutes daily on their phones—not including schoolwork. WholeSchool Mindfulness is on a mission to co-create an education system that advances well-being, community, and justice through the transformative power of mindfulness.

The nonprofit is working to establish and support the position of a “Mindfulness Director” in schools nationwide. This person’s role is to integrate mindfulness practices within their community. Not only will this help support future generations of healthy, connected individuals, but it will also allow them to see clearly and act wisely in service of imagining and creating a more aware and just world.

Fuel Your Fundraising With World-Class Tech

Make an impact in the lives of those struggling with a mental health issue by contributing to the larger conversation, offering opportunities for donors to get involved, and using your voice to educate expansive audiences on the critical importance of building greater awareness for higher quality mental health care.

For a complete list of additional cause awareness days, holidays, and giving days your nonprofit should consider incorporating into your annual content strategy, download our LinkedIn Seasonal Content Planner.

At Classy, we’re committed to helping your nonprofit achieve its mission. Whether you are interested in revamping your strategy to drive increased awareness to your donation website, improving peer-to-peer fundraising initiatives, or planning a stellar virtual or in-person event to engage donors and further advocate for your nonprofit, lean on Classy.

Sources:

1. “Adult Data 2022,” Mental Health America, last modified 2022, https://tinyurl.com/34m6w8pc
2. “Bereavement by suicide as a risk factor for suicide attempt,” Mental Health Research, BMJ Journals, last modified January 26, 2016, https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/1/e009948.info