Our Mission: The Mental Health Association of St. Tammany (MHAST), a charitable organization, provides linkage between consumers and providers of mental health services and is committed to promoting mental health in our community.
Our Vision: The Mental Health Association (MHAST) will accomplish its mission by enriching the quality of life for our community through integration, education, support and advocacy.
Mental Health Association History
East St. Tammany Mental Health Association (ESTMHA) was founded in 1985 as an Advisory Board to the Slidell Mental Health Clinic. During the first five years ESTMHA established itself as a hardworking, active volunteer group which achieved name recognition throughout the greater Slidell area.
There have been many changes over the past 21 years including, as we all know, changes brought about by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. ESTMHA was not excluded from Katrina's wrath. Sunshine House was a consumer program sponsored by ESTMHA. It was located at 2256 First Street in Slidell, LA. The rented building was flooded and all of the contents belonging to ESTMHA were damaged beyond repair.
The adult mental health consumers, who were meeting at Sunshine House, continued to meet at Aldersgate Methodist Church in Slidell, LA until funding provided by the State of Louisiana was cut from the budget in December 2005. We were forced to stop serving those with severe and persistent mental illnesses (SPMI) in January 2006.
The board of directors continued to meet and strategize ways to bring mental health services back to East St. Tammany and to those with SPMI. It became obvious to the board of directors rather quickly that ESTMHA could no longer serve only East St. Tammany or only those with SPMI. Everyone in St. Tammany Parish needs assistance coping with stress, grief, depression and loss after Katrina. It was at this time the ESTMHA Board of Directors decided to adopt a new name to better represent the new mission. We are now doing business as Mental Health Association of St. Tammany (MHAST) while our corporate name remains East St. Tammany Mental Health Association; a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, charitable organization.
Rotary of Slidell and Rotary International provided ESTMHA with a grant which allowed us to start rebuilding. Our first priority was to inform the public. We want the community to know we are here to help. The Rotary Grant allowed us to reinstate our consumer program and to be of assistance to the community through community education and awareness, speaking engagements for local organizations and businesses, legislative advocacy and providing referrals for mental health services.
Mental Health Association of St. Tammany is dedicated to helping St. Tammany Parish rebuild and to helping the citizens of St. Tammany Parish live happy, emotionally healthy and productive lives. For more information on the services offered by MHAST, to volunteer your time or to make a donation please call 985-290-7002, email us at Mhast@Mhast.org or visit our Contribution page.