How ACPN took mental health education into community settings
2025 WINNER · Community impact by practitioners
The American Center for Psychiatry and Neurology’s winning submission described work that extended beyond clinical appointments. Education, partnerships and community activity helped bring mental health conversations into places where people already learned, worked and gathered.
What they did
The entry documented public forums, media education, school and university partnerships and workshops with police and civil defence teams. On-site counselling and clinical placements connected professional services with learning and support.
A 2025 autism community event was another example of creating a setting for engagement outside the clinic. The wider submission described activities across several years, reflecting an ongoing approach rather than a single-day campaign.
What the entry shows
The evidence documented the range of settings and partnerships involved. It did not isolate a measured mental health outcome for everyone reached through community activity.
The centre’s overall patient numbers should not be treated as the reach of this specific programme. The meaningful story is the practical effort to connect expertise with community access and education.
What others can learn
Community work can reduce the distance between a service and the people who may need to understand it. Schools, employers and public institutions can provide useful settings for relevant conversations.
ACPN’s example highlights the role of sustained partnerships in taking professional knowledge beyond a clinical setting.
Based on the original 2025 mentl awards submission. Figures and observations are those reported in the entry.
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