What Is NAMI?

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NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons living with serious mental illness and their families. Founded in 1979, NAMI has become the nation’s voice on mental illness, a nationwide organization with affiliates in every state and in more than 1,100 local communities across the country.

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NAMI Southwest Michigan is Committed to:

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• Offering hope and help to people affected by mental health conditions, and
   

• Providing support, advocacy, and education to individuals living with mental health conditions; as well as, their families, in order to:
   

  • Increase understanding,

  • Reduce stigma, and

  • Promote a community in which the opportunity for recovery is maximized.

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What Does NAMI Do?

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We educate. Our education and support programs ensure thousands of families, individuals and educators get the support and information they need.

 

We advocate. NAMI shapes public policy, which affects people with mental illness and their families. This happens at the national, state, and local levels. We also provide volunteer leaders with the tools, resources and skills necessary to fight for mental health at every level of government.

 

We listen. Our HelpLine and local contact numbers allow us to respond personally to hundreds of thousands of requests each year, providing free information and support - much-needed lifeline for many.

 

We lead. Public awareness events and activities successfully fight stigma and encourage understanding.

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Family and Consumer Peer Education and Support

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• NAMI’s education programs include Family-to-Family, the Provider Education Program, Peer-to-Peer, support groups, and various state and local programs.
   

• Public Education and Information. www.nami.org provides information, referrals, and education to over 15,000 visitors each day. 1 (800) 950-6264, the NAMI HelpLine, fields over 4,000 requests each month. Public awareness activities, including Mental Illness Awareness Week and the StigmaBusters network, and In Our Own Voice help dispel the stigma associated with mental illness and encourage early intervention and treatment.
   

• Advocacy on Behalf of People Living with Mental Illness. NAMI advocates on the federal, state, and local levels for nondiscriminatory and equitable public and private-sector policies, as well as for federally-funded research for treatment and cures for mental illness. NAMI’s Campaign for the Mind of America is a political partnership initiative to strengthen relationships with community leaders and elected officials. Through the Campaign, NAMI advocates for policies that are reflective of the best economic, science, recovery, and systems choices.
   

• NAMI Action Centers include the Multicultural Action Center, the Child & Adolescent Action Center, and the Law and Criminal Justice Action Center. These Centers advocate for unique populations and develop and disseminate information to meet specific needs.