NAMI is committed to offering free, peer-led mental health education programs to the local community. In our signature NAMI-developed education classes, trained NAMI volunteers combine their lived experiences with the most current information on mental illness, treatment options and recovery/support strategies to create an interactive, supportive and hope-based learning environment. Read on to learn more about the classes offered.
FAMILY-TO FAMILY
NAMI Family-to-Family is an educational course for family, caregivers and friends of adults living with mental illness. Classes are offered in English, Spanish, Mandarin and Korean. In general, 9-week education sessions are held in January, April and September of each year.
What You Should Expect
- Meets once a week for 9 sessions, 3 hours each, and is free of charge.
- Designed for adult family and friends of loved ones age 18 and over living with mental illness.
- Taught by trained family members of individuals living with mental illness.
- Provides critical information and strategies related to caregiving.
- Incorporates presentations, discussion and exercises.
- Designated an Evidence Based Practice in 2013 by SAMHSA.
PEER-TO-PEER
NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a recovery-focused educational program for adults who wish to establish and maintain wellness in response to mental health challenges. The course provides critical information and strategies related to living with mental illness. Classes are offered in English and Spanish. In general, 9-week sessions are held in January, March, April, July, August and September of each year.
What You Should Expect
- Meets once a week for 9 sessions, 2 hours each, and is free of charge.
- Designed for individuals (18 and over) living with mental illness.
- Taught by a trained team of individuals living in recovery from mental illness.
- Incorporates presentations, discussion and exercises.
PROVIDER EDUCATION
The NAMI Provider Education program helps people who work with individuals living with mental illness understand the experience of mental illness from individual and family perspectives. Through exposure to personal stories, participants may gain tools that increase their empathy and professional skills thereby improving patient care. Classes are offered in English. In general, 5-week sessions are held in January, March, May, June, August, September and November of each year.
What You Should Expect
- Meets once a week for 5 sessions, 2.5 hours each, and is free of charge.
- Additional course format options are available if necessary.
- Designed for people who work directly with individuals living with mental illness
- Includes emergency room staff, social workers, law enforcement, guidance counselors, public defenders, peer specialists and more.
- Taught by a trained team representing a spectrum of lived experience of mental illness.
- Incorporates lectures, discussion and interactive exercises.
- Includes Competent Caring: Psychiatric Emergency Response Training for Health Care Staff.
BASICS
NAMI Basics is a free, 6-week education program for parents and family caregivers of children and teens who are experiencing symptoms of a mental illness or who have already been diagnosed. Classes are offered in English. NAMI Basics is only available online through NAMI Basics OnDemand.
What You Should Expect
- 6 sessions, free of charge.
- Designed for parents and other family caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illness.
- Taught by a team of trained teachers who are family caregivers of individuals who developed symptoms of mental illness as children.
- Provides critical information and strategies related to caregiving.
- Incorporates presentations, discussion and interactive exercises.
HOMEFRONT
The NAMI Homefront educational program is free and held over six sessions. The program is designed for families, caregivers and friends of military service members and veterans with mental health conditions.
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. The program is taught by trained family members of service members/veterans with mental health conditions. Click HERE for information on where the class may be available (some are virtual).
What You Should Expect
- Six 2.5-hour sessions of instructional materials, discussions and interactive exercises.
- Designed for loved ones (over age 18) of veterans or active service members living with mental illness.
- Information on how to access programs, benefits and resources for service members and veterans is included in the program manual.
CLASES DE EDUCACIÓN EN ESPAÑOL
NAMI ofrece las siguientes clases de educación en español: