About Mental Health America-Augusta

MHA-A's volunteer leadership...  Building a successful history.

Mental Health America of Augusta is a non-profit, non-governmental, service, education and advocacy, volunteer organization focused on mental health. Its mission is to improve the mental health of its community by providing education, advocacy, and service access related to mental health and the treatment of mental illness.

The MHA Bell (It has meaning.)

As an advocacy organization, MHA-A works closely with area legislators to promote the passage of legislation that supports its mission.  It also serves the community with an Information and Referral Service providing information on local private providers, public agencies, and support groups.  MHA-A also provides educational seminars for both the professional community and local citizens.  The MHA-A, a United Way partner agency, also sponsors community-based, on-going programs including a program for newlyweds, for the bereaved, for self-esteem in children and support groups for specific mental illnesses.

History Of Mental Health America-Augusta

In the early 1950s, Staunton area community leaders grew concerned over a real and growing need to respond to area mental health needs.  On May 10, 1954, a group of these leaders,  led by the Rev. Dr. J. Lewis Gibbs, rector of Staunton's Emmanuel Episcopal Church, organized the Staunton-West Augusta Mental Health Association as an affiliate of the National Mental Health Association.  In 1959,  community leaders from the other half of Augusta County formed the Waynesboro-East Augusta Mental Health Association to respond to needs in that area.

To facilitate a wider range of programs and services for the entire area, and to enhance its advocacy efforts, the two associations merged in 1990 to become the Mental Health Association of Augusta.  In 2008 the national organization changed its name and identity to become Mental Health America.  The Augusta association was renamed Mental Health America-Augusta later the same year. 

One of the group's first objectives in the 1950s was to secure a mental health clinic in the area.  The need for the clinic was particularly acute since Virginia's Western State Hospital was in Staunton and many of the hospital's discharged patients remained in the area.  Many of these former patients needed continued mental health services not then available. The mental health group was successful in obtaining state and local funds to establish the Valley Mental Health Clinic in 1956.  That clinic was the forerunner of the present Valley Community Services Board.

A number of other programs and services established over the years have also gone on to become independent organizations serving expanded community needs.  Among those groups are the Western State Hospital Volunteer Services Council - now an outstanding program of the hospital itself, the Shenandoah Clubhouse - now part of the Community Services Board  programs, the Valley Pastoral Counseling Center, Parents Without Partners, Alternatives for Abused Adults - now known as New Directions, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.