Mission Statement & History
NAMI started as a group of parents gathered around a kitchen table in 1979. They all had one thing in common – children who lived with serious mental illnesses. The parents found roadblock after roadblock trying to get care for their children – and were even blamed for their illnesses – and had had enough. Over more than 40 years, NAMI has grown and flourished into the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization working to improve the lives of all people affected by mental illness with support, education, advocacy and public awareness. NAMI is one of the premier mental health organizations in the USA.
Key Statistics
NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization with 48 state organizations and over 600 local affiliates. These organizations are where the rubber meets the road, where you can find support and education in your very own community.
NAMI’s Programs & Initiatives
NAMI Basics OnDemand
NAMI Basics is a 6-session education program for parents, caregivers and other family members who provide care for youth (ages 22 and younger) who are experiencing mental health symptoms. This program is free to participants, 99% of whom say they would recommend the program to others. Last year NAMI launched the online version of the program in an “on demand” format, reaching over 30,000 registrants in less than a year. NAMI is now able to reach folks who might not have the ability to attend in-person classes and take the course at their own speed.
Coming Soon: NAMI Homefront OnDemand
Based on the nationally recognized NAMI Family-to-Family program, NAMI Homefront is designed to address the unique needs of family, caregivers and friends of those who have served or are currently serving our country. In 2021, NAMI Homefront will be turned into an alternative “on demand” course so that folks anywhere around the country – and world – can get the resources they need for their families.
NAMI Frontline Wellness
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a huge toll on our frontline professionals. That’s why we launched the NAMI Frontline Wellness initiative on World Mental Health Day, Oct. 10, 2020, providing information and virtual resources at no cost through our portal www.nami.org/frontlinewellness.
These resources include:
- Information to help identify the signs of a potential mental health emergency
- Confidential and professional support
- Peer support resources
- Resilience and wellness tools
- Support for family members
The program is also being piloted in several NAMI affiliates to get on-the-ground resources where they’re needed most.
988 Advocacy
NAMI believes people in crisis need help, not handcuffs. NAMI’s work to divert people from the criminal justice system made a huge breakthrough in 2020 with the passage of “988,” a three-digit suicide prevention and mental health crisis line. Just like one would dial “911” in an emergency, once “988” is active in 2022 Americans will be able to get a mental health response to a mental health crisis.
How Can You Support NAMI?
- Join NAMI here, either by setting up a web account or becoming a member
- Find your local NAMI here
- Support NAMI through donations
NAMI’s Leadership
NAMI Chief Strategy & Operations Officer Sherman Gillums, Jr
NAMI, through a wide range of education and support programs, helps ensure individuals are informed, which is a priority for anyone affected by mental illness. It is these individuals, families, and communities that give NAMI its purpose.
NAMI Chief Communications Officer Glenn O’Neal
NAMI State Organizations and local Affiliates make up a strong NAMI Alliance, supporting people across the country in their mental health journeys.
NAMI Interim Chief Development Officer Katrina Gay
Supporting NAMI, whether through your time or resources, helps people with mental health conditions and their loved ones across the nation improve their lives in a tangible and meaningful way.
