FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2021

Contact
Sophia Majlessi
SophiaM@TheNationalCouncil.org
202-621-1631

New Name Allows National Council for Mental Wellbeing to be More Inclusive of those with Mental Health and Substance Use Challenges

“We are changing the conversation.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 6, 2021) – The National Council for Behavioral Health today announced it has changed its name to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing in response to changes in the fields of mental health and substance use treatment and the need to define more accurately the work of nearly 3,500 member organizations.

The change takes effect immediately.

“By changing our name, we are changing the conversation,” National Council for Mental Wellbeing President and CEO Chuck Ingoglia said. “Not only is the National Council for Mental Wellbeing inclusive of mental health and substance use, our new name boldly states our goal – to make mental wellbeing a reality for everyone.

“This change also presents an opportunity to align our name with our goal of promoting mental health, recovery from substance use challenges and equitable access to high-quality care,” Ingoglia said.

The name change is the result of months of discussion among the National Council’s Board of Directors, members, staff and consultants, who helped guide the process.

“A lot has changed over the past year. The pandemic has fueled mental illness and substance use,” Ingoglia said. “Today, the work of mental health and substance use treatment organizations is more important than ever. Our challenge is to ensure that everyone has access to comprehensive, high-quality, affordable treatment when they need it. By promoting comprehensive approaches to prevention, treatment and recovery supports, we will ensure mental wellbeing is a reality for everyone.”

Fast Facts

• Watch our short video announcing the new name.
• The National Council website URL will remain the same: TheNationalCouncil.org.
• The name change also includes a new logo, which was unveiled at NatCon, our annual conference.
• Mental Health First Aid is also adopting a dynamic new look that visually links the relationship between the National Council and this vital program.
• National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a service mark of National Council for Behavioral Health.

About Us

Founded in 1969, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a membership organization that drives policy and social change on behalf of nearly 3,500 mental health and substance use treatment organizations and the more than 10 million children, adults and families they serve. We advocate for policies to ensure equitable access to high-quality services. We build the capacity of mental health and substance use treatment organizations. And we promote greater understanding of mental wellbeing as a core component of comprehensive health and health care. Through our Mental Health First Aid program, we have trained more than 2.5 million people in the U.S. to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.

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