NAMI has become the voice of the nation regarding mental disorders.

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI, for its acronym in English), is the largest mental health organization in the United States dedicated to improving the lives of people with serious mental illness and their families. After its founding in 1979, NAMI is a national organization that includes offices in every state and in over 1,000 local communities around the country, which come together to meet the NAMI mission through advice, research, support and education. NAMI works on a donation basis.

NAMI-AV CLASSES

• Family-to-Family - Taught by trained volunteers, this is an intensive 12-week program for families to provide them with knowledge and teach them the required skills to cope with loved ones who have been diagnosed with a mental illness, facilitate the treatment process, and contribute to their return to health.

• NAMI Basics is the new signature education program for parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illnesses. The NAMI Basics course is taught by trained teachers who are the parents or other caregivers of individuals who developed the symptoms of mental illness prior to the age of 13 years. The course consists of six classes, each lasting for 2 ½ hours. Classes will be offered weekly for six consecutive weeks. The class and all instruction materials are FREE to participants.

• In Our Own Voice - Interactive presentations by individuals in recovery that are designed to raise awareness and reduce stigma by providing an honest dialog on issues related to recovery from a severe mental health diagnosis.

• Peer to Peer - a 10-week course on recovery for any person living with a mental illness who is interested in establishing and maintaining wellness. The course is taught by trained "mentors", or peer-teachers, who are themselves experienced at living well with mental illness.

NAMI Antelope Valley (NAMI-AV) is the Antelope Valley affiliate of the national and state-level NAMI organizations, serving the northern Los Angeles County area. NAMI-AV is a nonprofit California corporation dedicated to improving the quality of life for those living with mental illness and their families and friends through support, education, and advocacy. All involved are welcome to attend NAMI-AV meetings and classes to support those living with mental illness and to learn about and deal with issues that concern them. Registration is required for all classes. Please call 661-341-8041.

Source: NAMI NATIONAL/NAMI-AV