Our Vision

The Mental Illness Research Association (MIRA) is a Southeastern Michigan based 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 and wanted to help. Since inception, MIRA’s work has resulted in positive progress. We have funded over thirty research grants for scientists whose work has provided valuable insight into the physical basis of mental illnesses. We have educated thousands about mental illnesses and the stigma. 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, MIRA works to educate and erase the destructive myths surrounding the stigma of mental illness that block proper diagnosis and treatment for millions of Americans each year. 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 brain disorders. Today, we reaffirm our dedication to achieving the following goals:  Education, De-Stigmatization, and Understanding.