About

Mental Health America of Aiken, Barnwell, and Edgefield bring together mental health consumers, parents, advocates, and service providers for collaboration and action. We provided public education, information, referral, support groups, rehabilitation services, socialization, and housing services to those confronting mental health problems. We also provide family advocate services to parents and children with severe emotional disturbances, and mentoring relationships for adults recovering from mental illnesses. We serve as a local leader in supporting and developing consumer-run initiatives and primary prevention programs. Finally, we strive to influence public policy at the local, state, and national levels to ensure fair and effective treatment for millions of Americans suffering from mental disorders.

Mental Health America of South Carolina affiliates works to make a difference and fulfill the needs of their local communities. All can be counted on to write a letter to an elected representative, or call on behalf of someone suffering from a mental illness. Most offer public educational speakers who would love to address your organization about mental health topics and the programs we have that you may be interested in.

Mental Health America of Aiken County is a proud United Way member agency that has been serving the Aiken community since 1967 as a private, not-for-profit, 501(c) 3 organization. In 2022, we celebrate our 55th anniversary as an affiliate of the nation’s oldest mental health advocacy organization.

We are one of the 23 local affiliates of Mental Health America South Carolina. Mental Health America is the oldest and most respected volunteer agency in the country dedicated to all aspects of mental health. Mental Health America was founded by a former psychiatric patient and Yale graduate Clifford W. Beers to expose and correct the injustices he experienced and observed during hospitalizations for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

In 2020 when our world became a different place, we realized we had to do more, so we incorporated Barnwell and Edgefield Counties into our organization to help these areas close to our borders. These areas had no advocacy organization fighting for them, so we knew we had to step up to help. Silence is not a treatment. Please join us in our campaign to ensure dignified, compassionate treatment for people with mental illnesses.