Who We Are

The Mental Illness Research Association (MIRA) is a Michigan based and Southeastern Michigan served non-profit organization. MIRA was established in 1993 by Patrick Elwell Sr. and a group of friends in a back room of Patrick’s Restaurant in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Many of MIRA’s founders had family members with mental illness, while others were interested professionals, or simply people who realized a need for mental health awareness. Since inception, MIRA’s work has resulted in positive progress. In our research years, MIRA (Mental Illness Research Association) has funded over thirty research grants for scientists whose work has provided valuable insight into the physical basis of mental illnesses. As the Mental Illness Resource Association, we have educated thousands about mental illness, suicide prevention and the stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide. MIRA’s original purpose was to find cures for mental illnesses and other brain disorders through funding brain research. Over the past 23 years, MIRA has funded research for autism, depression, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s, addictive disorders, geriatric depression, bi-polar depression, suicide and more.  Currently, the focus of MIRA is to educate and erase the destructive myths surrounding the stigma of mental illness; particularly the stigma that blocks proper diagnosis and treatment for millions of Americans each year. To accomplish this mission, MIRA has worked with over 1,000 schools in Michigan, several churches, civic organizations, and corporate heads of Human Resource departments, to provide them with the most current information available on mental health. Today, we reaffirm our dedication to achieving the following goals:  Education, De-Stigmatization, and Understanding.