Our Programs
What are NAMI Programs?
Across the country, thousands of trained NAMI volunteers bring peer-led programs to a wide variety of community settings, from churches to schools to NAMI Affiliates. With the unique understanding of people with lived experience, these programs and support groups provide outstanding free education, skills training and support.
Why Have Them?
1 in 5 Americans have a mental illness. NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
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, NAMI is an association of hundreds of local affiliates, state organizations and volunteers who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.
How Do They Work?
Local NAMI Affiliates equip volunteers to lead support groups of various kinds. What programs each local affiliate offers is at the discretion of the local chapter itself. You can always navigate to the Find Your Local NAMI page at the NAMI national website to learn more about each local affiliate.
Who Are They For?
The scope of the programs ranges from those managing their own mental illness to equipping caregivers to help other manage. Programs are offered for children and adults.
How Do I sign up?
You can call NAMI Michigan at 517-485-4049, email at info@namimi.org, or visit the Contact Us page to fill out a request form and have someone from NAMI Michigan reach out to you.
Example Programs
Below you can see brief descriptions of a number of NAMI programs that may be made available in your area. Each is linked to a page with additional information. Please contact NAMI Michigan to see if a program of interest could be organized or is already available in your community.
- NAMI Connection
NAMI Connection is a recovery support group program for adults living with mental illness that is expanding in communities throughout the country. These groups provide a place that offers respect, understanding, encouragement, and hope. - NAMI In Our Own Voice
In Our Own Voice (IOOV) is a unique public education program developed by NAMI, in which two trained consumer speakers share compelling personal stories about living with mental illness and achieving recovery. The program was started with a grant from Eli Lily and Company. - Hearts & Minds
Research has demonstrated that people living with severe psychiatric conditions may have an increased risk of heart disease and related conditions. For this reason NAMI has designed the Hearts & Minds program. - NAMI Basics Education Program
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 parent or other caregivers of individuals who developed the symptoms of mental illness prior to the age of 13 years. - NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program
The NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program is a free, 12-week course for family caregivers of individuals with severe mental illnesses. * The course is taught by trained family members * All instruction and course materials are free to class participants * Over 115,000 family members have graduated from this national program. - NAMI Peer-To-Peer Education Program
The NAMI Peer-to-Peer Educational Program is a recovery education course open to anyone experiencing a mental health challenge. The course is designed to encourage growth, healing and recovery among participants. - NAMI Smarts
NAMI Smarts is an interactive workshop designed to teach individuals how to effectively advocate for issues they believe in at the local level, state and federal levels. - NAMI Family Support Group
The NAMI Family Support Group is a weekly or monthly support group for family members, partners and friends of individuals living with a mental illness.