HelpNAMI-NYC envisions a world where all people affected by mental illness live healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares.
Who We Are
Who We Are
Our Vision, Mission, & Values
Guided by lived experience and evidence-based practices, NAMI-NYC helps families and individuals affected by mental illness build better lives through education, support, and advocacy.
Our Mission
Guided by lived experience and evidence-based practices, NAMI-NYC helps families and individuals affected by mental illness build better lives through education, support, and advocacy.
Our Values
These are our core values. We live by our mission and vision, and we make decisions based on our values.
Embracing Lived Experience. As individuals and family members impacted by mental illness, our Board, staff, and volunteers know the experience of participants because we have been there.
Ensuring Accessibility. Our services are free of charge for individuals and available both in-person and virtually.
Building Community. We connect people in supportive, non-judgmental environments and are committed to collaborating with diverse New York City communities.
Fostering Equity and Inclusion. We develop culturally appropriate, multilingual programming to reach underserved populations.
Supporting Recovery and Well-Being. We believe people who live with mental illness can have full, rich, and rewarding lives.
Leading Innovation. We support excellence and a collaborative approach to identifying and addressing unmet needs as they emerge in our community.
Promoting Education. We believe in reducing stigma around mental illness through education, awareness, and sharing our stories to help normalize conversations and promote recovery.
Advancing Family Support. We believe in the power of supporting families and friends of individuals living with mental illness and, in turn, the impact of family support on individuals, families, communities, and the mental health system.
Have mental health questions or need someone to talk to? Call or email our (non-emergency) Helpline. You are not alone.
Pillars of Our Work
Education
NAMI-NYC’s guiding principle is “families helping families.” We are the only non-profit in New York City providing direct support to family members caring for loved ones with mental illness. Families work best as a support system to people with mental health conditions when they have proper education, support, and resources.
Before health care providers and social safety net, family members are the first line of care for New Yorkers living with serious mental illness. They are there during a crisis or the first to notice a change in behavior. We are not born knowing how to do this. That’s where NAMI-NYC comes in…
We offer free classes throughout the year, for families, and for individuals affected by mental illness. These classes are transformative in our understanding of mental health challenges, how to support a loved one, and repairing family relationships.
Explore our classes, including Family-to-Family, Peer-to-Peer, and Basics.
Support
In addition to classes, we offer 40 ongoing support and social groups, family mentoring, a Helpline in 180 languages, and more for people living with mental illness AND for their family members. Programs are facilitated by trained peer volunteers with personal experience with mental illness, either in a family member, or in themselves.
View our calendar and join a support group in person or virtually!
Advocacy
We advocate for:
- Recovery over the criminal legal system
- Increasing access to mental health care
- Mental health education in schools
- More supportive housing
- Insurance coverage for those with a dual diagnosis
- Decreasing disparities in maternal mental health
Our staff and volunteers:
- Provide testimony at hearings
- Sit on task forces, boards and commissions
- Collaborate with other advocacy organizations
Anti-Stigma
NAMI-NYC actively works to challenge and dismantle stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes around mental illness. By fostering open conversations, raising awareness, and promoting education, we aim to create a more inclusive and understanding world for people living with serious mental illness AND their families.
Programs:
All NAMI-NYC programs incorporate anti-stigma efforts, but here are some highlights:
Campaigns & Activities: