National Association Of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD)

Founded in 1959 and based in Alexandria, VA, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) represents the $41 billion public mental health service delivery system serving 7.5 million people annually in all 50 states, 4 territories, and the District of Columbia. NASMHPD (pronounced “NASH-bid”) operates under a cooperative agreement with the National Governors Association and is the only national association to represent state mental health commissioners/directors and their agencies. As a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization, NASMHPD helps set the agenda and determine the direction of state mental health agency interests across the country, historically including state mental health planning, service delivery, and evaluation. The association provides members with the opportunity to exchange diverse views and experiences, learning from one another in areas vital to effective public policy development and implementation. NASMHPD provides a broad array of services designed to identify and respond to critical policy issues, cutting-edge consultation, training, and technical assistance, and together with the NASMHPD Research Institute, Inc., a partner organization, apprises constituents of the latest in mental health research in administration and services delivery. Some of the areas in which NASMHPD staff combine their expertise with members and other key constituents include: advancing intergovernmental cooperation; promoting efficient and effective management strategies; supporting state, local, and jurisdictional relationships and activities; providing policy analysis and development, technical assistance, and training in critical areas of policy and practice; responding effectively to changing organizational, practice, and finance trends; and identifying and sharing models of excellence on a myriad of topics and issues.