Nami Massachusetts

Education & support - family-to-family is a 12-week course for families, partners, and friends of individuals with serious Mental Illness focusing on the emotional responses families have to the trauma of Mental Illness. Nami basics is a six-week, peer-taught education program developed specifically for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents showing signs of behavioral or emotional problems. In our own voice is a one-hour presentation that both offers insight into the hope and recovery possible for people living with Mental Illness and delivers a strong anti-stigma message. Nami family support groups are meetings of caregivers of individuals with a Mental Illness in which family members can talk frankly about their challenges and help one another through their learned wisdom. Nami connection is a 90-minute recovery support group facilitated by a trained peer for people living with Mental Illness in which people learn from one another's experiences, share coping strategies, and offer mutual encouragement and understanding. The compass helpline provides information and resources to help people navigate the Mental health system and related systems of care. The criminal justice diversion project aims to prevent the unnecessary arrest and detention of people diagnosed with Mental health conditions. Cjdp supports police departments and other first responders in engaging with people experiencing Mental health crises and is developing a statewide strategy to make high quality training accessible.

Legislative outreach & affiliate development - our advocacy activities seek to ensure quality care and community-based services for individuals with Mental Illness. We advocate for better choices in employment, housing, education, medical treatment, access to medications, rehabilitation, and hospitalization services. Nami Massachusetts is dedicated to raising awareness of the needs of individuals with Mental Illness in both the private and public Mental health care sectors. Nami Massachusetts is in the vanguard in advocating for adequate budgets for the department of Mental health and in promoting our legislative priorities to policymakers.