As Mental Health Awareness Month ends, we at ABHW want to take a few moments to thank those who elevated resources, shared stories, and participated in the conversation, and to look forward to what comes next. As the leading health plan association for mental health and substance use disorders, our work extends beyond hashtags, weekly themes, and the boundaries of a calendar. There is much value in official observances; they offer opportunities to gather voices and resources in accessible places, provide forums for mutual connection, and educate the public in familiar formats. They create a venue for engaging health plans, patients, struggling individuals, friends and families that wouldn’t otherwise exist. In other words, they’re a spotlight for the work so many do year-round.
But what about the other 11 months of the year? We are taking action to make sure the conversation continues after May 31.
What is Mental Health Awareness Month?
Founded by Mental Health America in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) is observed every May. The observance brings together government organizations, non-profits, health plans, healthcare providers, and the public to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and share stories and resources. By facilitating conversations and making resources easier to access, we’re providing an opportunity to show people they are not alone on their mental health journeys. In recent years, MHAM has largely moved online via social media platforms. This allows information to reach broader audiences, especially those who may not know how to seek out the resources they need. By normalizing the conversation and bringing it out of the shadows, MHAM endeavors to show that it’s okay to struggle, but no one has to do it alone.
A Foundation of Critical Policy Work
ABHW aims to carry the momentum of MHAM into our continued talks with our members and partners, as well as key government representatives, to meet our goals of ensuring quality, equitable, and accessible mental health and substance use disorder care. Recently, we have shared with the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Treasury, as well as the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Congress, recommending specific actions to make these goals a reality. We are ready to come to the table to discuss our recommendations and help find ways to ensure the most vulnerable voices are heard, in areas like these:
EARLY Minds Act. Featured on Mental Health America’s Mental Health Day of Action, the EARLY Minds Act was introduced to help states prevent or intervene early in mental illness. Youth mental health is a key area we look forward to advancing in the coming year.
Measurement-Informed Care. After a year of talking with representatives from a variety of organizations interested in this topic, we are launching a work group of ABHW subject-matter experts in June to discuss how we can contribute to the shift towards measurement-informed care, which incorporates data-driven metrics into behavioral health treatment.
Parity. ABHW remains a strong advocate for parity and supports the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equality Act of 2008 (MHPAEA). We look forward to providing recommendations to ensure compliance with MHPAEA in an effective way.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). With recent federal action putting ABA in the spotlight, ABHW and our members have reached out to CMS to offer our support and willingness to help ensure treatment options for autism and other behavioral health conditions remain accessible, high-quality in nature, and rooted in evidence-based practices. This conversation is advancing quickly, and we are hopeful that we all work together so that people with Autism Spectrum Disorder receive the best care possible while reducing fraud that has grown over the past few years.
A Practical Plan for Outreach
In addition to working on key policy points, we are also working on a plan to revamp our Stamp Out Stigma (SOS) initiative. We are changing our presence on social media platforms to engage a broader audience and renewing our push to share stories of those who have lived with or been affected by mental health and substance use disorders. As we move into June, you’ll see a new SOS Instagram, increased activity on our SOS Facebook, ABHW LinkedIn, and ABHW BlueSky, and the removal of both SOS and ABHW X accounts. We’ve made these changes based on our target audiences’ habits, as well as engagement metrics over the last several months. With these changes, we’re hoping to share both our advocacy and policy work with new stakeholders interested in connecting.
Final Thoughts
Mental Health Awareness Month 2026 has been a great opportunity to advance conversations around mental health and substance use disorders. We’ve felt so honored to be a large part of the conversation, both by boosting our members’ thoughts and sharing our own. Even when the official observance ends, ABHW will continue contributing valuable information and lifting voices, and we hope you will, too.
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Resources
Linked below are some resources from Mental Health America and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Please save them and share them on your own social accounts throughout the year; you never know what someone is going through. Your voice could be the inspiration someone needs to reach out for help.
https://mhanational.org/get-help/
https://mhanational.org/mental-health-month/
https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health
https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use
https://www.samhsa.gov/about/digital-toolkits/mental-health-awareness-month
Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org
SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 800-662-HELP (4357)
