NRI presents data on behavioral health service delivery systems.
NRI was formed in 1987 as a distinct, non-partisan, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. We originally served as the research ally of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), the organization representing state mental health commissioners/directors and their agencies.
Since 1987, NRI has been the only national organization working with state agencies, the Federal Government, and other entities to define, collect, and analyze data on public behavioral health systems. NRI is the leading organization that collects performance measurement data from the majority of state psychiatric facilities and some private psychiatric facilities for The Joint Commission reporting requirements.
NRI has national and state-level information on over seven million consumers served by state behavioral health systems each year. NRI evaluates data at the national, state, and regional levels to help states plan, budget, and evaluate the delivery of their services. NRI also helps states meet The Joint Commission's reporting requirements by providing services designed to test their performance measures and improve the quality of care delivered within their state psychiatric hospitals. Throughout the history of NRI, our goals have remained to ascertain, develop, and distribute information (data, statistics, performance measures) about the behavioral health systems. NRI had worked on inpatient and outpatient programs at the federal, state, and local levels with public and private entities. The information collected by NRI is used to educate the public about the behavioral health care system and to educate and train public/private behavioral health administrators.
Founded by the states, for the states
State mental health commissioners establish NRI as an independent nonprofit — a shared, trusted home for the data their systems run on.
Performance measurement goes national
NRI launches the first national performance measurement system for state psychiatric hospitals, turning scattered reporting into comparable benchmarks.
A president calls for transformation
The New Freedom Commission declares the mental health system fragmented — and names data and accountability as the path forward.
Parity becomes federal law
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act requires equal coverage — and creates a new demand for evidence that systems deliver it.
From reporting to analytics
As coverage expands under the ACA, NRI moves beyond collection into analytics — helping states see patterns, not just totals.
A pandemic stress-tests every system
COVID-19 strains behavioral health nationwide. NRI data tracks the surge in need and the strain on state hospital capacity in near real time.
NRI Restarts the State Profiles Program
Decades of data about State Mental Health Agencies at your fingertips!
988 and the crisis continuum
The new national crisis line reframes behavioral health as emergency infrastructure — with states measuring the continuum end to end.