The MHAG has been a partner and neighbor in Greensboro and Guilford for over 60 years. Established in 1940 as the Mental Health Hygiene Society, our original goal was to bring a psychiatric clinic to our community. The clinic became a service of the Guilford County Health Department in 1952, and the “Society” began it’s long crusade as a strong advocate for understanding, education, and fairness in treatment. During the 1960’s the Society worked to establish a psychiatric unit at Moses Cone Hospital. In 1977, the society changed its name to the Mental Health Association in Greensboro. Our focus increased to developing communication channels between other agencies in order to better serve the mentally ill. Two significant programs were established in 1980, Family-to-Family and Gate House, which provided weekly support groups to families and a drop-in center for consumers. During this decade the Compeer program was also started. In the 1990’s, the MHAG developed a job readiness skills training program, supportive services, and Support Source, a referral service. Many of the programs and attention the MHAG has developed over the decades have become permanent programming for other service agencies.

The MHAG today continues to focus on advocacy for consumers and families, while providing education, training, information, and services to the community and to individuals. We welcome your interest and invite you to return again and again to our Web page, as changes occur and new opportunities arise.

The Mental Health Association in Greensboro (MHAG) provides services and programs that promote mental health and support recovery from mental illnesses.

Support Source is our on-line and telephone information and referral service, linking individuals and families to mental health therapists, service providers, support groups, educational programs, and advocacy opportunities. Over 1500 individuals received this service in 2005.

Education and prevention promotes community understanding and awareness of mental health and mental illness. This is done through conferences, presentations, speakers bureau, training activities, self-teaching materials. Over 2000 community members participated in our education and prevention programs. During the next three years, we will be conducting specialized awareness and advocacy campaigns for identified target populations: older adults, African-Americans, and Latino-Hispanics. The first two years of these campaigns are being funded by the Moses Cone Wesley Long Community Health Foundation.

Outreach services provide healthy activities for consumers working in recovery from their illness. Compeer matches volunteers for an hour a week to persons with diagnosed mental illness. Skill Builders provides life and health education classes, and programming for consumers on a weekly basis, including leadership and volunteer opportunities. Over 600 individuals were serviced by outreach services in 2004-05. Our newest outreach services is Happy Homecoming, funded for its first year by the Community Health Improvement Fund, which is part of the Moses Cone Wesley Long Community Health Foundation. Happy Homecoming will provide therapeutic support to returning veterans, their partners and children.

Support groups started by the MHAG meet on a weekly or bi-weekly basis , and are facilitated by a peer facilitator team. Peer facilitators receive training and support from the MHAG staff and other volunteers. We also offer REACH, a self-help support group facilitates training to other organizations and individuals seeking to start their own self-help group.

Volunteer opportunities are available of those wishing to make a difference in their own and others’ lives. Volunteers who chose to make the commitment to one-on-one friendship programs must be at least 19 years of age, make a minimum commitment of at least four hours per month, and attend required training and interviews. There are also many other volunteer opportunities for those interested in making a good difference in people’s lives.