Mission

The Mental Health Association in Delaware promotes improved mental well being for all individuals and families in Delaware through education, support and advocacy.

In pursuit of our Mission, we strive to:

  • Improve the community’s understanding of mental health and the mind-body connection between mental and physical health.
  • Provide education and opportunities for individuals to identify early warning signs of mental illness and subsequently provide programs and an environment that supports recovery and improves resilience for these individuals.
  • Assure that those who request information and need mental health care referral have confidential access to the appropriate information and know how to obtain care.
  • Advocate for improved support and treatment particularly at the state and federal levels, especially where reform is needed.

Our Values

Our Values are the set of core beliefs that guide our actions and behavior. We live our values – they influence the way we treat our clients, engage with all our stakeholders, and the way we work and interact with our colleagues, both within and outside of MHA.

  • Every person, regardless of their disability, race, ethnicity, gender, age, economic status, or sexual orientation, has the right and responsibilities to full potential in our society, the right to be treated with compassion, respect and dignity, free from stigma and prejudice.
  • Mental health is essential to personal well being, and is fundamental to achieving a healthy, balanced, and productive life.
  • Treatment offers a powerful return on investment and treatment does work if used appropriately. With treatment options, what was only a hope in the past is quickly becoming a reality. We will persistently advocate for treatment and services for those who need them.
  • Unless we promote community understanding of mental illness, plus tolerance and acceptance of people living with the illness, people will continue to avoid talking about mental illness and also avoid seeking help.
  • The goal of treatment is recovery, and it is important for those with a mental illness to be an integral part of their recovery process – decisions, programs, support groups, medication regimens.
  • We fulfill our mission most effectively when we collaborate with others and when we actively look for partners to achieve our goals.

We recognize achievement of our vision depends on the combined dedication, creativity and compassion of our staff, Board of Directors, volunteers, partners, and those we serve.

Vision: What we intend to accomplish

Like our Mission, our Vision is ambitious. It describes what we believe to be a future we can help create, one which has significant improvements in the state of mental well being for all Delawareans.

Mental Health Association in Delaware Vision Statement

We envision a climate for Mental Well Being in Delaware that is a model for the rest of the nation. In this climate we are a community that recognizes mental health as an essential part of overall well being. We understand that mental illness, like physical illness, is a medically treatable condition, it can develop in anyone, it is preventable, and those who experience mental illness can return to good health. As a result, there is no room for stigma in Delaware. Our state’s model climate for mental well being is the direct result of a robust collection of support, treatment, and education services that are equally accessible and adequately funded. This portfolio of services continuously evolves to meet the changing needs and priorities of our citizens.

Mental Health Association in Delaware is a key contributor to the State’s success in the field of mental health. We develop and deliver education and support services that are demonstrably effective and efficient in meeting the changing needs in the state. Reflecting our value for collaboration and our reputation as a good partner, we work with others to leverage our collective capabilities.

Intense determination, up to date knowledge and highly regarded services give us the credibility to advocate for the mental health community. As a trusted advisor to key decision makers, we are able to influence decisions, policies and beliefs that further promote mental well being in the state.

Our ability to make these contributions rests on a set of characteristics that reflect our values, knowledge, and performance:

  • We value the dignity of those we serve and always treat them with respect and compassion.
  • We depend on the dedication of our staff, our board, our partners, our volunteers and our contributors. People feel good about being associated with MHAinDE.
  • We have a strong voice in the state: we are credible, relevant, and current.
  • We are financially strong because we demonstrate results and fiscal responsibility.
  • We effectively use technology to utilize multiple communication channels and increase our reach.