In 2001, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation that dramatically changed the delivery of publicly funded mental health care over a five-year period. The State Plan 2002: A Blueprint for Change, the first overhaul of the state service system since 1974, was prepared by the NC Department of Health & Human Services Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services to define how the law would be implemented. The State revises its plan each year. Click here for more information.

The main result locally, is The Guilford Center's revised role in mental health care provision. The Guilford Center, like other Area Programs throughout the state, has been designated as a Local Management Entity (LME). That means that The Guilford Center now serves primarily as a manager of services rather than a direct provider of services. The Guilford Center continues to provide crisis/emergency, psychiatric and medication management services. By calling the 24-hour, 7 day ACCESS to Care line at 800.853.5163, consumers can talk with a mental health professional to determine the type and level of services needed.

Advocacy
What is advocacy? Advocacy means supporting a cause and educating people on its effect on their lives, knowing your rights under the laws that govern it, and participating in the public policies affecting it. An advocate wears many hats, including concerned citizen, voter, lobbyist, volunteer, patron, mentor, donor, and public consumer.

At the Mental Health Association in Greensboro, we are dedicated to educating our community on the importance of good mental health, connecting people to the mental health support they need, and eradicating prejudice against people with mental illness.

Laws Governing Consumers with Disabilities
Consumers with disabilities living in NC are governed under the same laws and entitled to the same rights and privileges as the rest of NC citizens. Those committed to state facilities are governed under the same laws and have the same rights and privileges with a few additional considerations. To learn more about these, click here.

Advocacy at the Mental Health Association in Greensboro: The Energy Behind Our Mission
Our goal for everyone is to help them recover their health, through hope, empowerment, self-responsibility, and meaningful roles in life. Our challenge is to help these individuals seek and find treatments that work for them.

The Mental Health Association in Greensboro is dedicated to enhancing the mental wellness of individuals, families, and communities through education, advocacy, outreach, and services.

	Greensboro Chamber of Commerce
	Greensboro Merchants Association
	Guilford Community AIDS Partnership
	Guilford County Community Collaborative for Children and Families
	Guilford County Community Resources Court
	Guilford County Directors of Volunteers in Agencies
	Guilford County Mental Health Coalition
	Guilford Nonprofit Consortium
	Homeless Prevention Coalition of Guilford County
	Latino Community Coalition of Guilford
	Mental Health America
	Mental Health Association of North Carolina
	National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI)
	North Carolina Center for Nonprofits
	Guilford County Senior Services Roundtable
	Substance Abuse Coalition of Guilford County
	United Way of Greater Greensboro
	United Way of Greater Greensboro Advisory Council
	United Way of Greater Greensboro Executive Directors Council

The Association’s Board sets our strategic plan every three years, measuring our goals and objectives against the greater goal of advocating for people living and struggling with psychiatric illnesses.