Clifford Beers helped establish which organization focused on mental hygiene?

• A. National Committee for Mental Hygiene
• B. American Psychological Association
• C. National Institute of Mental Health
• D. World Health Organization

Answer: (A)

Beers’ life and experience as a former patient propelled him to push for systemic reform in how society handles mental illness. He helped establish a private organization dedicated to improving care, reducing stigma, and educating the public about mental health—the National Committee for Mental Hygiene, founded in 1909. This group became a leading force in the early 20th-century mental hygiene movement, promoting humane treatment in institutions, advocacy for better conditions, and public awareness about mental health as a societal concern. Its efforts laid groundwork that would later evolve into broader mental health advocacy, now represented by Mental Health America. The other organizations listed were not started by Beers for the mental hygiene reform movement: one is a professional psychology association, another is a federal research institute, and the third is an international health organization.