Amy Brinkley, CAPRCII, CPSP

Amy Brinkley is a nationally recognized advocate for mental health and substance use recovery, drawing from 15 years of direct lived experience. Motivated by personal struggles, including the loss of three brothers to suicide and her mother’s overdose, Amy is dedicated to catalyzing change through peer support, recovery-focused care systems, and robust data collection policies. Her mission centers on enhancing the quality of life and sustained recovery for individuals with substance use disorders and mental illness, championing person-centered, recovery-oriented outcomes. 

In her professional journey, Amy spent five years with the Indiana State Division of Mental Health and Addiction, where she played a pivotal role in expanding peer support services statewide. She contributed to multiple publications for the American Psychiatric Association Journals and served on the APA Policy Advisory Board, leveraging her expertise in peer support. 

Currently serving as the first-ever Senior Recovery Support Services Coordinator for the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) since January 2022, Amy provides crucial leadership in bolstering recovery support services nationwide. Her extensive experience developing recovery data collection practices, particularly in Indiana, informs her work supporting states and territories. 

Amy’s dedication extends beyond her professional role. She serves on the boards of NAMI National, the SURF Center, and Recovery Café Lafayette, and leads locally in Lafayette Indiana as CEO and Founder for Paul’s Plan Ministries. Amy is fully committed to fostering mental health and substance use recovery at the local, state, and national levels.