The National Mental Health Association envisions a just, humane and healthy society in which all people are accorded respect, dignity, and the opportunity to achieve their full potential free from stigma and prejudice. Values Justice demands that every person, regardless of disability and other characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, economic status or sexual orientation, has the right and responsibilities of full participation in society.
Mental health is essential to the development and realization of every person s full potential.
Sufficient resources need to be applied to a complete range of mental health research, and then effectively applied to preventive interventions, education, treatment, and community services design. People with mental illnesses can recover and live healthy and productive lives. Mental health treatment should not have more limits on access and reimbursements than other illnesses. Services must be linguistically and culturally appropriate. Children with, at risk of, serious emotional disturbances, their families or surrogate families must have access to high quality, community-based, integrated systems of care.