About MHAA

Our Mission is to provide leadership and support for hope, recovery, and mental wellness for all.

What We Do:

  • Information and referral
  • 1-to-1 Peer Support (limited staffing, call for appointment)
  • 5 weekly support groups including Schizophrenia, Bipolar, Chronic Pain & Depression, General Support, and Hearing Voices Network group
  • W.R.A.P. (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) – run by staff and volunteers
  • Guest presenter for local organizations, churches, and colleges
  • Social/Education time (life skills, etc.)
  • Symposium (professional education)
  • Advocacy – helping people with their rights or help them stand up for themselves, state level too
  • Youth Mental Health First Aid and (adult) Mental Health First Aid Courses

Community Connections:

  • Basic Needs Network (service agencies keeping connected)
  • Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (state directed)
  • Human Trafficking Coalition
  • Abilene/Taylor County Hunger Coalition
  • Re-Entry Coalition
  • Mental Health Task Force
  • Epi Workgroup (City/County working to help lower drug use among youth)
  • Via Hope Peer Run Organization Project (PROP) (Work group that learns and advocates together)
  • MHAA’s Forming a Suicide Prevention Coalition 
  • Outreach at information fairs
  • COMMUNITY PARTNERS:
  • Abilene Christian University – School of Social Work
  • Abilene Regional Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (ARCADA)
  • Betty Hardwick Center
  • Community Foundation of Abilene
  • Connecting Caring Communities
  • Disability in Action
  • Hendrick Health System
  • Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN)
  • NAMI Abilene (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)
  • Oceans Behavioral Health Hospital
  • Phoenix Mental Health Clubhouse
  • Regional Victim Crisis Center
  • Texas Tech University – Health Sciences Center
  • Texas Tech University – School of Public Health
  • AND MANY MORE!

Who Does It?

  • 1 1/2 employees (permanent staff)
  • Executive Director is full time
  • Recovery Support Specialist is part time
  • Some project specific volunteers, committee members and board members
  • Board – 13 community members and professionals
  • Consumer board – Consumer Operated Service Program Advisory Council
  • MHAA is currently a consumer-operated service provider
  • All staff of MHAA are consumers of mental health services

A Touch of History:

Mental Health America of Abilene, is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Formerly known as, Mental Health Association in Abilene that has been in existence since 1948.