A History of Mental Health America in Montgomery

In 1951, representatives for the American Association of University Women, Council for the Coordination of Community Services, Junior League, League of Women Voters, PTA and the Council of Jewish Women met at the Whitley Hotel and formed a society for the promotion of mental health, which became one of the first nonprofits in Alabama. Its Board met at the Carnegie Library (now used as a City of Montgomery office) until it had its first permanent home at 731 King Street in 1953. At that time, the Society had a membership of 91 members and an annual budget of $2,620. Memberships were available for $1.00 per year. Mrs. Oscar Tate (Alice) was hired as the first executive director on a part time basis. 

In 1956, the Association moved to 500 South Hull Street and received its first United Way allocation in the amount of $12,000. In 1959, documents of incorporation were signed. After renting property for several years, the Association grew to a point where it was able to purchase an older house at 1116 South Hull Street. The Association then started a Capital Improvement Campaign program in 1973, completed renovations in 1974, and paid off the mortgage fully in April 1986. 

While the Association felt from its inception that its primary responsibilities were in the areas of education, advocacy, and referrals, it has also been sensitive to the direct service needs of the community. The Association has been a driving force in the initiation of many new facilities. Once established, these were encouraged to stand on their own or become part of a direct service facility.  Examples of organizations advocated for by MHA-M are:

• Montgomery Area Mental Health Authority - provides comprehensive mental health services to people with mental illness in Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes and Montgomery counties. 

• Greil Psychiatric Hospital - established to provide acute psychiatric hospitalization in a former tuberculosis hospital, which was closed in 2012 by the Alabama Department of Mental Health. Today it now houses the Montgomery Area Mental Health Authority. 

• Alcoholism Committee- secured funds to be used for the care of people acutely ill with alcohol use disorders and initiated two rehabilitation halfway houses for recovering alcoholics. 

• Montgomery Area Committee on Employment of the Handicapped- insisted that people with mental disabilities be included in employment as well as those with physical disabilities. 

• Voluntary Action Center- was given office space and phone coverage until it became staffed and funded. 

• Help-A-Crisis- an emergency hotline that was later turned over to the Montgomery Area Mental Health Authority where it still serves the four-county area. 

With the growth of mental illness and its awareness, the Association recognized that community support services are vital to people recovering from mental illness and to their success in community living. This interest in direct services then sparked the formation of two clubs, the Open Door Club and the Friendship Club. In 1964, the Association started the Open Door Club, a social rehabilitation nighttime program. This program provided citizens with mental illness who were reentering the community from state hospitals with an opportunity to develop their social and community living skills. The Friendship Club started with a small handful of members and has since grown into a daytime program providing provides education, skills development, and socialization. As of now, these two programs currently serve around 30 individuals. 

To this day, our staff continues to provide psychosocial programs and activities designed for socializing and fun and to meet these members’ needs for learning basic life skills and to support the value of art as a therapeutic tool. Members have also felt the joy of gardening--planting seeds in the ground, tending them, watching them grow into plants, and finally picking and cooking them, and sitting down to a table laden with the fruits of their labor. These are only a few of the many activities and programs provided by MHA in Montgomery in our efforts to provide opportunities for mental health recovery and wellness.