What does DMH mean in STATE & LOCAL

The Department of Mental Health (DMH) is an organization responsible for the mental health needs of individuals, families and communities in many states.

DMH provides services and support for people with mental health challenges, as well as their families, caregivers, and providers. This could include counseling sessions or support groups; medication management; crisis intervention; legal advocacy; housing assistance; linkages to community resources; peer supports; educational services; or respite care.

Any individual who has a diagnosed mental illness or an emotional disability may be eligible to receive DMH services. Some other special categories include parents/caregivers of a minor child who needs treatment and prison inmates with a severe mental illness who are returning to their community after release from incarceration.

You can access these services through your local county/regional department of mental health's website or office. In addition to providing direct clinical care, you may also contact your local provider for referrals to specialized programs both within the agency or outside in the community that can further help meet your needs.

If you are having a mental health crisis or emergency, please call 911 or go directly to the nearest hospital emergency room immediately. In addition, your local county/regional department of mental health should have information regarding available 24-hour hotline numbers to call on their website or office.