History
Mental Health Association of the Heartland resulted from the consolidation in July 1996 of three affiliates of the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) that served Johnson and Wyandotte (KS) and Jackson (MO) counties.
Motivations for consolidating these small agencies, some with over 75 years of service to our community, were many: to enhance program opportunities, to provide continuity for individuals and families with mental health needs, to respond to the funding community, and to realize economies of scale. With consolidation, the agency engaged in a thoughtful process of re-organizing its programs that included closure, merger, and attention to new community needs, all with an eye toward ensuring programs remained mission-driven and available to citizens throughout the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area.
Mental Health Association of the Heartland is one of more than 340 affiliates of the National Mental Health Association, a broad-based nationwide citizen's organization concerned with all aspects of mental health and mental illness.
The Mental Health Bell is recognized throughout the nation as the symbol of the mental health movement. The bell tolls to end misunderstanding and discrimination, and rings out hope in the fight for victory over mental illness.
The 300-pound bell bears this inscription:
Cast from the shackles which bound them, this bell shall ring out hope for the mentally ill and victory over mental illness.
MHAH Key Events from 1996 to 2006.
