The Opportunity

Mental Health America (MHA) is launching a search for its next President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Since its founding in 1909, MHA’s mission has been to promote mental health for all. Its focus is prevention for all; early identification and intervention for those at risk; integrated health, behavioral health, and other services and supports for those who need them; with recovery as the goal.

Since 2014, its guiding message has been characterized by the B4Stage4 (Before Stage Four) philosophy: that mental health and substance use conditions are the only conditions we wait until stage four to treat, as a matter of public policy, and we must act before stage four. At the foundation of MHA’s program, policy, and advocacy work is its commitment to antiracism. MHA characterizes racism and antiracism not as terms of judgment about individuals, but as descriptive terms that can be applied to public policies, as well as public and private systems and practices.

MHA is seeking a visionary leader who will work closely with the Board of Directors to set long-term objectives and policy directions for the largest mental health group in the U.S. The President and CEO will guide MHA’s response to the current economic and political climate, including how the organization’s programs and services will need to adapt to meet current challenges. The role includes extensive outreach, as well as ongoing support for MHA’s network of state and local affiliates.

MHA: An Overview

Collectively, MHA and its 160+ state and local affiliates are characterized as one of the 70 largest nonprofit organizations in the U.S., larger than any other mental health group. The affiliate community is the backbone of that structure, employing thousands of people with collective annual revenues of more than $300 million. MHA affiliates are independent, 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations. They range in size from small (nearly all volunteer staff) to some with more than $40 million in revenue each year. MHA’s affiliates act as members of the national nonprofit, are subject to periodic reaffiliation by MHA, and formally elect MHA Board members at a delegate assembly once a year.

At the national level, MHA is based in Alexandria, VA. Its 2020 revenues will be near $6M, and it employs a staff of approximately 30. The most distinct structural differences between MHA and its affiliates are that many affiliates are direct-service organizations that generate roughly 50 percent of their revenues from government sources; MHA’s national office receives only a small fraction of its revenues from government agencies.

MHA is a stable organization financially. The organization has had a surplus for six straight years and has grown its budget and operations at least 10% per year since 2014. Major funding sources include corporate donors (both industry and non-industry), individual giving (primarily through online and social media channels), and program service revenue (affiliate dues and conference registrations).

MHA’s Constituency and Associate Member Network    

As a national advocacy organization, MHA is nearing 1 million followers across its social media platforms. Ten million people visit its primary website each year, and more than 100,000 people are on its email list. These numbers are growing rapidly. MHA’s constituency cuts across all groups but is younger and more female than the population as a whole.

MHA supports an Associate Member Network, which is open to for-profit and nonprofit organizations, community-based behavioral health providers, and other professions and fields whose missions support and/or reflect MHA’s mission.

Structure of MHA

The MHA Board, which ranges from 18 to 24 members, is broadly representative of the population of the nation. Board members are recruited with an eye toward diversity and inclusion of a broad range of experiences and expertise, and representatives from the affiliate community are always included.

MHA values its employees highly, and puts a premium on creating and maintaining a workplace environment that is friendly, supportive, relaxed, and productive; maintaining an organizational chart that is as flat as possible; fostering a work ethic that values collaboration, independence, and empowerment as roads to productivity; and implementing policies and programs that encourage work/life balance. Prior to the pandemic—during which all staff are working remotely—MHA permitted remote work and had full-time employees working in Georgia, Colorado, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, Utah, and Germany.

MHA’s Programs

While MHA has many initiatives, the following are among its best known. They serve as examples of the types of programs it undertakes:

MHA’s Policy Initiatives

MHA engages in a wide range of policy advocacy work at the state and federal levels. Each affiliate works within their own networks and develops their own policy initiatives that may or may not mirror these initiatives. The following list highlights several that are favored (both as important to MHA’s constituency and as antiracist in nature) and others that are opposed:

The President and CEO Role

The President and CEO is responsible for the executive direction of MHA and its staff and functions as a leader in the MHA movement throughout the country.

Critical Competencies for Success

Board Interaction

• Maintain a close working relationship with the Executive Committee and Board of Directors (EC and Board), providing advice and counsel on policy issues and effective two-way communication and coordination on matters important to the overall policy direction and management of MHA
• Develop a strong collaborative working relationship with the Chairperson, Board, and EC; furnish information to include options and potential consequences of Board actions; and enable the Board and its Committees to make informed decisions
• Assist and advise the Board and EC by developing and directing the planning process to generate short and long-term objectives and strategies
• Communicate regularly with the Board about internal operations and external stakeholder communications; invite and encourage Board member participation in various events, as appropriate
• Implement Board policy via actionable management plans; provide strategic direction to senior management that will enable the effective execution of these plans

General Management, Operations, and Financial Management

• Establish and implement short- and long-range organizational goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures; write and maintain an ongoing business plan
• Oversee the design and implementation of systems to collect, maintain, and analyze data; monitor and evaluate program effectiveness; and effect changes required for improvement
• Identify and implement MHA’s budgetary and fiscal goals to ensure financial viability
• Demonstrate strong financial management and leadership skills; manage large and complex budgets; identify areas for cost reduction and increased efficiencies; and communicate those recommendations to the Board and management
• Plan, develop, and implement strategies for generating resources and/or revenues; maintain an awareness of external funding opportunities and respond to those opportunities
• Develop plans and options for long-term funding sustainability
• Ensure compliance with all legal and statutory requirements

External Relations

• Serve as the chief spokesperson for MHA; provide a vision and advocate for MHA at all opportunities
• Interact and communicate regularly with the public, elected officials, media, and other stakeholders to provide transparency and insight into MHA’s mission and programs
• Represent MHA before Congress and federal administrative agencies on legislative and regulatory matters
• Represent MHA to funder organizations and help steward individuals with a major gift capacity; successfully ask for and solicit funds from these prospects
• Maintain effective working relationships with governmental agencies and elected officials (state, local, and federal) that deal with mental health, addictions, and health in order to encourage maximum cooperation and achieve the best results and allocation of resources for MHA
• Represent MHA before the news media in press conferences, interviews, radio and television appearances, and editorial board meetings
• Communicate with local, national, and international stakeholders through Leadership 18, the National Health Council, and other formal and informal groups; identify their needs, advance MHA’s objectives, and advise the Board on new potential programs and advocacy initiatives
• Support ongoing consensus building within the field, relative to legislative and regulatory issues, as well as long-range strategic and operational planning
• Work effectively and persuasively with the business community, organized labor, public constituencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders

Affiliate Relations

• Maintain open, consistent communication with affiliate CEOs; attend and speak at affiliate functions as invited
• Maintain an ongoing commitment to customer service by ensuring that staff meet affiliate needs within the resources available
• Balance the needs of and show sensitivity and appreciation for the diverse requirements of each affiliate; provide equitable time, resources, and recognition to each affiliate regardless of their level of involvement, commitment, or profile; and ensure that affiliates are treated fairly by MHA’s policies, programs, and practices
• Ensure that MHA’s programs adapt to emerging affiliate needs and continue to expose affiliates to the latest in policy, education, and service developments; remain responsive to the training and professional development needs of the field
• In partnership with affiliates that choose to do so, promote programs that lead to increased collaboration between national and affiliates

Program Direction

• Develop and maintain a thorough knowledge of all MHA program, development, communications, education, innovation, policy, and advocacy efforts
• Oversee and/or develop effective and creative brand and marketing plans, advocacy programs, and affiliate programs that promote, educate, and stimulate new learning
• Oversee and participate in the planning and execution of MHA conferences, seminars, workshops, and committee activities
• Manage the resources of MHA consistent with the Board’s policies to achieve efficient and effective programs and services
• Understand and respond to the current economic and political climate, including how this climate shapes the future of mental health
• Direct and challenge MHA to be innovative and person-focused, consistent with its roots

Internal Relations

• Ensure that MHA’s organizational structure, personnel practices, and management systems are efficient and effective
• Continuously examine the organizational structure; ensure that it fosters internal communication, empowers staff to make decisions, and promotes new thought inside the organization
• Create and implement competitive pay scales for staff
• Oversee the implementation of the diversity policy, including its EEO and Affirmative Action programs and antiracism efforts, both internally and externally
• Provide strategic vision and guidance to ensure successful employee development plans across all functions; support succession planning, mentoring, and training across all levels of the organization
• Empower managers to lead their departments and functions effectively; encourage collaboration across all functions; and foster an environment where staff are encouraged to identify new technologies, approaches, and ideas and present them to executive leadership
• Maintain an open-door policy where employees feel comfortable being able to approach the President/CEO; create opportunities for employees to communicate with the President/CEO, express new ideas, and discuss their thoughts and concerns
• Work with staff supervisors, the chief of staff, and the HR director to recruit and hire a well-qualified, diverse staff; oversee promotion and retention efforts