Support and advance the rights, interests and welfare of the mentally ill in New York State.
Educate the public, mental health professionals and government officials regarding the urgency of meeting the personal, health, social, vocational, and housing needs of the chronically mentally ill through use of media and schools to overcome the unjust stigma attached to mental illness.
Encourage, promote and support policies at local, state and federal levels to insure quality institutional and community services for the chronically mentally ill.
Advocate for increased financial support for basic neurobiological research into the causes and treatment of mental illness.
Help families organize mutual support/self-help groups.
Develop and expand networks to enhance the well-being of the mentally ill.
Encourage, promote, and sponsor community support programs for the benefit of the mentally ill, including those relative to housing.
Stimulate a continuous and systematic gathering of facts about the treatment of the chronically mentally ill and their mental health service and programmatic needs and the adequacy of available mental health services and programs and advocate for actions to promote access to, and for the improvement of, said services and programs.
Serve as an information exchange center for mental health organizations, and Solicit, receive, and contribute funds for the accomplishment of the above purpose.