Programs that provide information about the causes and origins, preventive measures, symptoms, screening/diagnostic procedures, and/or methods of treatment or management including the latest research for specific illnesses or disabling conditions.

Programs that improve the public's understanding of mental health and mental illness and help people make choices which promote personal mental health, take advantage of opportunities for early detection, develop an awareness of available treatment options and support their ability to deal with mental health problems when they arise. General mental health information/education programs provide information about a wide variety of mental health related diagnoses rather than specializing in a particular area; and may develop and disseminate materials whose objective is to dispel misconceptions about the nature of mental illness, marshal support for people who have a psychiatric disability or behavioral issue and help to remove the stigma that is often associated with mental illness.

Programs that maintain information about community resources that are appropriate for a specific target group or human services sector (for example, youth programs or addiction services) and which link individuals who are in need of specialized services with appropriate resources and/or which provide information about community agencies and organizations that offer specialized services.

Programs that provide information about specific health and health-related topics including diseases and conditions, birth control, alcohol and drug abuse, mental health, safety and other similar topics that interested individuals can access on a website or in person, or by telephone, email, chat, text or other communication channel. Information may be in a self-serve, browsable format (for example a web resource directory or library of audio recordings) or provided by live agents with expertise in the field.

Programs that collect, classify and distribute information about specific topics or problems which requires wide dissemination. Included are specialized information centers and organizations that provide reference assistance for the public regarding a wide variety of general and technical areas. The centers generally offer copies or reprints or allow people to come to the facility to do research but usually do not provide telephone information or refer people to specific resources.

Individuals who are generally between the ages of 18 and 25 depending on the ages that specific programs use for qualification.

An alteration in thinking, mood or behavior or some combination of those that either creates distress or interferes with people's relationships or their ability function.

The parents, children, spouses, partners, friends or other relatives or significant others of people who have clinically significant behavioral or psychological problems, whose own patterns of personal, social and familial coping have been significantly affected by ongoing interaction with and concern about the mentally ill individual.