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The State Charities Aid Association subseries includes documents related to the activities of the SCAA in the field of mental health. It includes legal documents, reports, minutes, memos, letters, and pamphlets generated by various committees of the SCAA, reprints of articles by people belonging to or associated with the SCAA, and some state government documents and other external documents related to the work of the SCAA. Also included are reports of the Committee on Legislation, which was a special committee on legislation for the insane (1891-1895) and a letter to the mayor of New York City advocating bringing New York County into the state mental health system. The Subcommittee on After Care worked to improve the care offered to mental patients after discharge from mental institutions. Included are the subcommittee's by-laws, minutes, and one annual report. The Committee on Mental Hygiene was the principal committee of SCAA dealing with mental health issues. The records include reports of the assistant secretary, mission statement (labeled as "objects") minutes, proposal for the study of the prevalence of mental disease in New York State, training programs, memos, reports, and an excerpt from a history of mental health policies in New York. The Visiting Committees were members of the SCAA who were empowered by New York State to inspect mental institutions on behalf of the state government and report to the state's Department of Mental Hygiene on the conditions in the institutions and the quality and effectiveness of the care being offered to the mentally ill.

This subseries is composed of records related to the activities of the New York State Society for Mental Health (NYSSMH). Included are meeting minutes regarding the creation of NYSSMH as well as board of directors, committee, and Citizens' Advisory Group minutes; annual conference and campaign documents; and an address to NYSSMH by C. Douglas Darling.

The Administration subseries includes: directories listing members of the MHANYS board of directors and identifying MHANYS local chapters across New York State; manuals and handbooks detailing duties of members of the Board of Directors; correspondence to and from board members; and a description of a board retreat.

Minutes of MHANYS Board of Directors 1960-1999 covering policies of MHANYS, organizational and personnel issues, relations among MHANYS and its affiliates and the National Association of Mental Health, and various issues regarding advocacy of policies regarding mental illness.

The New York State Committee Served as the Board of Directors of MHANYS in the mid-1970s during the period when the NAMH took over operation of MHANYS. The Executive Committee of MHANYS is composed of the officers of the board and is responsible for decision-making between board meetings. Subjects covered in the Executive Committee meetings involve the full range of MHANYS organizational, policy, advocacy, and project issues. The subseries also includes minutes and other records of committees of the MHANYS board. Of particular importance is the Government Affairs Committee, which sets priorities for MHANYS regarding advocacy with the government of New York State and other public entities within the state regarding mental health policy issues. The Resource Development Committee explored fundraising opportunities and the Special Committee to study MHANYS's Future was created in 1972 to deal with a funding shortfall and dispute with the national organization are also important. The Professional Advisory Committee was a committee of psychiatrists and psychologists who advised the board of MHANYS about mental health issues.

This subseries includes correspondence, reports, publications, financial data, and other information generated by or for the MHANYS chapters and affiliates. Topics include funding and cost sharing between state and regional organizations and programs at the regional level.

This subseries includes organizational information and information about the programs carried out by the local affiliates of MHANYS in New York state on the county and community level. Includes organizational information, correspondence, minutes of some local chapters' boards of directors, and feedback from the chapters to MHANYS on programs. Also includes affiliate guidelines and agreements records dealing with the creation of a regional mental health organization affiliated with MHANYS and NMHA and agreements between these affiliates and MHANYS regarding responsibilities and funding. The Affiliate Mail is an information exchange bulletin produced by MHANYS and sent to its affiliate chapters. The Public Information Project was carried out by MHANYS in 1985-1986 in connection with its local affiliates to increase public awareness of mental health issues. The Affiliate Survey was conducted by MHANYS of its local affiliates in order to develop an inventory that identifies present and future organizing activities and membership needs. The Staff Council folders include documents and correspondence relating to the meetings of the Staff Council, which was composed of the executive directors of local MHA chapters.

The mental health Committees and Councils subseries includes correspondence and other documents on the New York State Mental Health Services Council, an advisory council to New York State on mental health issues (Lucille Pritchard, executive director of MHANYS, was a member), advocacy material regarding national health care legislation, and minutes and other documents of subcommittees of the New York State Office of Mental Health dealing with Medicaid managed care.

The Friday Fax was a weekly message sent out to the MHANYS's board, affiliates, and others regarding the current status of advocacy issues.

The Lawmakers Who Cook documents relate to an annual fundraising event sponsored by MHANYS to raise money for advocacy efforts.