Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers' Association

Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers' Association - Home (wildapricot.org)

The mental health consumer movement began in the 1970’s when former mental health patients began to organize groups throughout the nation with the common goals of fighting for patients' rights and against forced treatment, stigma and discrimination.  They also saw the benefit of and promoted peer-run services as an alternative to the traditional mental health system.  PMHCA was born out of this movement being formally organized as a non-profit membership association in 1986 and has been governed and run by individual’s with the lived experience of mental illness since then.   

The Mental Health Recovery Movement has arisen out of the mental health consumer movement.  We have been active in establishing what essential principles and practices of service delivery support recovery and give opportunity for those experiencing mental illness to live full and active lives in the community. Our work towards this goal continues as we make sure our voices of recovery are shared with our peers and heard at all levels of planning and policy development in Pennsylvania. 

Today, PMHCA is a statewide membership organization that is staffed with people who are willing to keep fighting just as their predecessors did. PMHCA is still completely consumer-run and consumer-focused.

Youth MOVE PA works under the umbrella of PMHCA with the same goal: to be sure that people across the lifespan are included in this fight for positivity and stigma reduction surrounding people who have mental health diagnoses. We are a team and work together on many different projects, trainings, and events. 

Youth MOVE PA donations and payments will go to PMHCA as they host Youth MOVE PA's grant and budget. Please make checks payable to PMHCA and write in the memo: Youth MOVE PA. Or if you pay online, you will be directed to pay on PMHCA's website, write in the comment area: Youth MOVE PA.  

Donate Here: Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers' Association - Donate (wildapricot.org). Thank you for your support!