A History of the Community Mental Health Movement and Individuals With Serious Mental Illness: A Vision for the Future

The history of the development of the Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice was founded on understanding the social determinants of mental health and society and the necessity for multiple disciplines to organize advocacy for human rights and social justice. This led way to a wide cross-section of disciplines working together to engage at the policy level, in legislation, and within community settings as the Community Mental Health Movement developed and made a path for the reformation of many forms within the mental health field. This article reviews some of that interesting history and the importance of understanding those fundamental roots as we also look at the future for what is next in advocacy, social justice action, and policy directions for advancing the lives of those with serious mental illness, who face some of the most oppressive forms of marginalization and rejection of human rights and citizenship. This article will outline social justice action agendas for the organization and diverse collaborative fields to pursue as we embark upon the future and envision the full rights of citizenship for those with serious mental illness. Public Policy Relevance Statement The Global Alliance played a significant part in the community mental health movement, altering mental health services for the nation, which this article reviews and casts a vision for future social justice action. More advocacy and social justice action are imperative to realize the full rights of citizenship and recovery for those with serious mental illness, which this article delineates.