Campaign for Mental Health Reform Names William Emmet as Director

Posted on November 16, 2006

The Campaign for Mental Health Reform, a collaboration of 16 leading national mental health organizations, has appointed William Emmet as its director, responsible for developing, coordinating and implementing its advocacy agenda.

For the past six years, Emmet has served as project Director for the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD). Previously, he served as chief operating officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and from 1990 to1998 as executive director of NAMI Rhode Island.

"Bill has been instrumental in establishing the Campaign as a significant force for advocacy on federal mental health policy," said Michael Fitzpatrick, NAMI executive director and board president for the Campaign.

"The Campaign partners are excited that he will now dedicate his knowledge, experience and skills to our common goals," said Fitzpatrick. "The Campaign is entering a new phase. There will be challenges and opportunities as the new Congress convenes."

The 16 partner organizations formed the Campaign to maintain the momentum for mental health policy changes initiated by the report of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health issued in 2003. The Campaign developed a supporting agenda for change, Emergency Response: A Roadmap for Federal Action on America’s Mental Health Crisis, and has hosted and participated in briefings on Capitol Hill.

Emmet coordinated the Campaign’s start-up phase in 2004 and has served as interim director since April 2006.

"I have been excited by the Campaign’s potential since it was created," said Emmet."It is thrilling to be in a position where I can help harness the collective energy of the mental health advocacy community."

"That potential is growing. More and more people from all walks of life are recognizing that mental healthcare is part of overall healthcare and must be an essential national priority.   I’m honored to be part of that movement."

For more information, visit:

Campaign for Mental Health Reform: www.mhreform.org.

President’s New Freedom Commission: www.mentalhealthcommission.gov

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Campaign members include:

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

American Psychiatric Association

American Psychological Association

CHADD Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)

Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health (FFCMH)

Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHD)

National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD)

National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (NCCBH)

National Empowerment Center (NEC)

National Mental Health Association (NMHA)

National Mental Health Consumer’s Self-Help Clearinghouse

Suicide Prevention Action Network USA (SPANUSA)

United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA)