NAMI National HQ

Next door and across the nation, NAMI provides free education and support for youth, adults and families. We are determined that no one with mental illness will walk alone.
NAMI advocates bring the power of lived experience to the halls of Congress and state capitols nationwide. We fight every day to promote innovation, improve care and support recovery for people with mental illness.
NAMI is the grassroots voice for individuals with mental illness and their families. We achieve impact through powerful campaigns and partnerships that fight stigma and champion change.
NAMI leads the mental health movement through an extraordinary network of people who strive for excellence every day. We embrace new tools and technologies to improve the efficiency and quality of everything we do.

We affirmed in our research that there are three key areas that are most challenging and/or discriminatory for
people affected by mental illness, and therefore three goals where our attention can make the greatest impact:

1. People get help early.
2. People get the best possible care.
3. People get diverted from justice system involvement.

We also affirmed in our research that NAMI is uniquely positioned to share and leverage the lived experience of
people affected by mental illness and their families. Everything we do is ‘peerinformed,’ which means that we always engage people with lived experience when we develop content, programs and campaigns.
Finally, we identified four accelerators that will drive the work we do throughout the Strategic Plan:
1) Diversity and Inclusion. We will infuse cultural competency and equity throughout our work and seek
opportunities to better serve diverse communities.
2) Technology. We will leverage technology to be more efficient, amplify our advocacy and public awareness efforts, and reach more people through our education and support.
3) Partnerships. We will proactively engage in partnerships across our Alliance that help us go further faster.
4) Financial Strength. We will explore new ways to strengthen and scale NAMI’s work through diverse and sustainable revenue strategies.

What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 has blossomed into the nation's leading voice on mental health. Today, we are an alliance of more than 600 local Affiliates and
49 State Organizations who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that once was not available for many who needed it.

Our Vision
NAMI envisions a world where all people affected by mental illness live healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares.

Our Mission
NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.

Our Values
Hope: We believe in the possibility of recovery, wellness and the potential in all of us.
Inclusion: We embrace diverse backgrounds, cultures and perspectives.
Empowerment: We promote confidence, self-efficacy and service to our mission.
Compassion: We practice respect, kindness and empathy.
Fairness: We fight for equity and justice.


What We Do

We educate. Offered in thousands of communities across the United States through NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliates, our education programs ensure hundreds of thousands of families, individuals and educators get the support and information they need.

We support. Throughout the country, our NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates host support groups, for both those with mental illness and caregivers, so that no one feels alone in their mental health journey.

We advocate. NAMI shapes national public policy for people with mental illness and their families and provides volunteer leaders with the tools, resources and skills necessary to save mental health in all states.

We listen. Our toll-free NAMI HelpLine allows us to respond personally to hundreds of thousands of requests each year, providing free information and support—a much-needed lifeline for many.

We lead. Public awareness events and activities, including Mental Illness Awareness Week and NAMIWalks, successfully fight stigma and encourage understanding. NAMI works with reporters on a daily basis to make sure our country understands how important mental health is.

NAMI relies on gifts and contributions to support our important work.

NAMI CALLED FOR CHANGE when 988 goes live in July 2022. Local communities must be ready to support people and families in crisis who dial the new nationwide three-digit number for mental health and suicide
crises. NAMI led the national call for the attention, vision and funding it will take to make 988 and the full continuum of crisis care a life-changing reality in every part of the country.

MORE THAN 68,000 ADVOCACY ACTIONS brought NAMI voices directly to policymakers, elevating the need to invest in mental health crisis services. Advocates pointed to policy solutions and investments required
for effective mental health crisis response at the community level.

A GROUNDBREAKING VIRTUAL EVENT united NAMI with 40 partner organizations for “REIMAGINE: A Week of Action to Reimagine our National Response to People in Crisis.” The momentum-building event, made
possible with support from lululemon, drew 7,600+ registrants, all seeking to drive collective action to ensure a mental health response to a mental health crisis.

A NEW NAMI WEBINAR SERIES, Help Not Handcuffs, outlined ways to improve emergency response outcomes nationwide. The four-part series, part of NAMI’s popular Ask the Expert webinars, drew 10,500+ people
across 50 states, 24 countries and territories representing 150+ NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates.