The SPA is a registered (since 1993), non-profit, non-governmental mental health organization. It is based in Zagreb, Croatia. It welcomes mental health professionals as full members and other people as beneficiaries without regard to gender, race, ethnicity or religious affiliation.

Membership in SPA is open to psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists and special educators with clinical, research, teaching and applied backgrounds. Graduate students from these disciplines also take part in SPA projects.

Some SPA members hold senior faculty appointments at the Department of Psychology and the School of Social Work at the University of Zagreb and at the Department of Psychology, University of Sarajevo. They are regularly invited to lecture at international conferences and universities, as well as, at specialized meetings in Europe and the United States.

SPA General Assembly meets annually to make major decisions and develop a work plan for the following year. The Executive Board with 7 members assures that decisions and plans are carried out according to the General Assembly policy. The Supervision Board of five members ensures that the interests of the community at large are represented in SPA's activities. This independent body makes sure that SPA's activities are consistent with the mission, legal and financial regulations.