Several leaders from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), the Mental Health Program of the Indian Health Service and the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) joined with others in organizing the first national conference on Native American people with serious mental illness, in order to bring together State, tribal and IHS mental health officials, providers, families, and consumers, to discuss the challenges that face Federal agencies and the Indian nations. The goal of the conference was to create mechanisms to implement the shared vision of an effective, comprehensive service delivery system for Native Americans with serious and persistent mental illness.