|
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a non-profit,
grassroots, self-help, support and advocacy organization of consumers,
families, and friends of people with severe mental illnesses, such as
schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive
disorder, and anxiety disorders.
Founded in 1979, NAMI has more than 210,000 members who seek
equitable services for people with severe mental illnesses, which are
known to be physical brain disorders. NAMI provides education about severe brain
disorders.
- The NAMI Family to Family Education Program was purchased for Ottawa in 1997 and is funded in the Ottawa area
by the Ontario Ministry of Health.
- It is entirely administered, promoted and delivered by family
members, who work as unpaid volunteers.
- Its purpose is to teach and promote the NAMI Family-to-Family
Education Program in Ottawa and throughout the province of Ontario.
- It trains family members to teach the twelve week course.
- It provides support and advice to communities starting NAMI
Family-to-Family Education Programs.
- Its only interest is in the area of family education and support.
- Works collaboratively with, and does not replace, existing support
and advocacy groups.
- NAMI does not seek to raise funds for advocacy or research.
- In Ottawa the NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program is sponsored
by: Canadian Mental Health Association, Ottawa Branch.
- This program is delivered by: The Schizophrenia Society of Ottawa;
and the Depression & Manic Depression Mutual Support Group of
Ottawa.
The twelve week NAMI Family-to-Family Education course is adapted for
use in Ontario and is taught by trained family members who volunteer to
teach.
To see courses that are available
throughout Ontario and to register for a course
click here.
If you have
any questions about NAMI or the education and support we offer to
families, please contact Madeleine Bertrand, Director NAMI
Family-to-Family Education Programs of Ontario at
nami.ontario@bell.net
For information about NAMI in the U.S. visit their website at
http://www.nami.org/ |
