From a gathering of 6 friends in a suburban Chicago home to a thriving organization serving 4 million people annually, DBSA has seen tremendous growth in its first 35 years. Here are the milestones that reveal where we’ve been — and set the stage for where we’re headed in the decades ahead.
Rose Kurland’s Meeting
A meeting in Rose Kurland’s living room in the north suburbs of Chicago plants the seeds for a peer organization that will become the Manic Depressive Association (MDA).
First Convention Hosted in Chicago
MDA holds its first convention at Chicago’s Palmer House Hotel, with 50 leaders from 14 states in attendance.
Celebrating NDMDA
A congressional reception hosted by House Speaker Tip O’Neill with Senators Pete V. Domenici, Orrin Hatch, Daniel K. Inouye, Paul Simon, and U.S. Representative Silvio O. Conte celebrates the establishment of the National Depression and Manic Depression Association (NDMDA), formerly MDA. Katherine Graham, publisher of the Washington Post, who years earlier had lost her husband, Phil, to suicide, is the guest speaker. NDMDA uses the slogan “Honk if you’re on lithium” for its new promotional materials.
Frederick K. Goodwin, MD Receives Dr. Jan Fawcett Humanitarian Award
Frederick K. Goodwin, MD, receives NDMDA’s Dr. Jan Fawcett Humanitarian Award at a gala benefit at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace serves as emcee of the event. The award is named for psychiatrist, educator and author Jan Fawcett, MD, who provided care for Rose Kurland and became her partner in creating a new organization focused on the needs of people with bipolar disorder.
Kay Redfield Jamison, PhD, Receives Dr. Jan Fawcett Humanitarian Award
Clinical psychologist and author Kay Redfield Jamison, PhD, receives the Dr. Jan Fawcett Humanitarian Award with Second Lady Tipper Gore in attendance. Jamison’s memoir, An Unquiet Mind, revealed her personal struggles with bipolar disorder, which she has lived with since early adulthood.
First Large-Scale NDMDA Survey Published
The Journal of Affective Disorders publishes results of the first large-scale self-survey of NDMDA chapter members.
NDMDA Becomes DBSA
NDMDA changes its name to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) to reflect modern psychiatric terminology.
Mike Wallace Addresses Depression in America
DBSA produces The State of Depression in America, an award-winning report hosted by CBS News correspondent Mike Wallace. Wallace’s first major bout of depression was triggered in 1984, after U.S. Army General William C. Westmoreland sued Wallace and several others for libel. Westmoreland was featured in the 1982 CBS documentary, The Uncounted Enemy: A Vietnam Deception, for which Wallace served as chief correspondent. Wallace’s courage in sharing his experiences with depression was lauded by peers and mental health experts alike.
Facing Us Community Website Launches
DBSA introduces a new community wellness website, FacingUs.org. Though the site is no longer available, DBSA’s social media channels and online support groups offer a way to connect.
DBSA Launches New Wellness Tracker
DBSA unveils the DBSA Wellness Tracker, giving peers a practical tool to record daily mood, medication, diet and lifestyle information to support their recovery and wellbeing. Though the app is no longer available, people can download the pdf.
DBSA Trains Peer Support Specialists Serving Vets
DBSA is awarded one of the first Veterans Administration contracts for the training and certification of VA peer support employees.
Bipolar App of the Year
DBSA’s Wellness Tracker is named Bipolar App of the Year by Healthline Magazine.
I’m Living Proof Launches
DBSA creates I’m Living Proof, a collection of inspiring stories from adults who’ve found their way to wellness, created for tweens and teens experiencing early signs of mood disorders.
First DBSA Online Support Groups Created
DBSA teams up with Support Groups Central to launch online support groups that people can join from anywhere, providing a resource for peers who lack easy access to local support groups.
DBSA Fights Discrimination with Compassionate Language Guide
DBSA seeks to end stigma and misunderstanding by publishing 10 Ways to Combat Discrimination with Compassionate Language, a free guide for clinicians, employers, families, friends, public officials, and the media.
The Veteran PEER Act
DBSA works with congressional leaders to develop the Veteran PEER Act, a bipartisan measure ensuring that Veterans at 30 pilot VA medical facilities will have access to certified Veteran Peer Specialists.
DBSA Hosts Patient-Focused Listening Session
In the first meeting of its kind, DBSA brings more than 200 peers together with FDA staff and medical product developers for a patient-focused listening session on treatment, side effects, and wellness goals, told from the point of view of those living with mood disorders.
New DBSA Website Launches
DBSA unveils an all-new website, reflecting our new strategic vision, values, and core beliefs. Thanks to growing web, email, and social media traffic combined with local outreach, DBSA serves more than 4 million people annually.
Grant Paves Way for DBSA’s Supporting Youth Mental Health Program
A landmark grant lays the groundwork for DBSAs’ Supporting Youth Mental Health program, which will build our capacity to reach and support children, teens, young adults, parents, and caregivers.
DBSA Responds to Urgent Needs Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
- DBSA increases online support groups from 6 to 52.
- DBSA begins offering its peer course online as need surges.
DBSA Launches Wellness Wheel
Adapting a widely used concept in mental health, DBSA launches its own Wellness Wheel, helping people with mood disorders create a holistic picture of their strengths and needs in 7 key areas.
DBSA celebrates 40 years as an officially incorporated nonprofit organization.
What started as a small meeting in DBSA co-founder Rose Kurland’s living room has grown into the nation’s leading peer advocacy organization supporting those with mood disorders.
