My loved one lives with serious mental illness (SMI). What services are available to support their quality of life?

If you have concerns for your loved one’s quality of life as a person living with serious mental illness (SMI), you are not alone. The good news is that there are many resources and services available to help them live a full, meaningful life. Below you will find resources for education courses and support groups, supportive living and social connection resources, and other suggestions for finding programs in your area to support your loved one’s quality of life.

Education and Support

A good place to start is to connect with your local NAMI affiliate, where your loved one can learn more about living well with mental illness, connect with other people facing similar mental health challenges, and build community. The following two programs may be particularly helpful:

NAMI Connection Support Group is a support group for people with mental health conditions. Groups meet weekly, every other week or monthly, depending on location. This program is also available in Spanish, NAMI Conexión.
NAMI Peer-to-Peer Classes are a free, eight-session educational program for adults with mental health conditions who are looking to better understand themselves and their recovery. Taught by trained leaders with lived experience, this program includes activities, discussions and informative videos. Find a Peer-to-Peer course near you via your local NAMI Affiliate.

Social and Occupational Wellness

Many community programs offer social and recreational activities to reduce the isolation, loneliness, and stigma that so often accompany mental illnesses. Clubhouses and Consumer Run Drop-in Centers (CRDIs) provide a model of service that offers a support system for people living with serious mental illness. These centers offer opportunities for friendship, work training and placement, and educational opportunities in a caring, supported environment.  

Clubhouse International offers an online locator to find a clubhouse program in your area. You may also find a clubhouse program by reaching out to your local NAMI Affiliate or community behavioral health service.

The following resources may also be helpful for supporting your loved one’s social and occupational wellness:

National Empowerment Center, (800) 769-3728, is a peer-run organization dedicated to providing a message of recovery, empowerment, hope, and healing to those with lived mental health issues, trauma and/or extreme states. Provides information & resources, education and also a national directory of consumer-run statewide organizations providing a myriad of services (by community), including supported employment, drop-in centers, crisis prevention (WRAP)/respite, non-clinical in-person peer support programs, etc.  Spanish-speaking information specialists are available to callers.
National Mental Health Consumer’s Self-Help Clearinghouse is a nationwide directory to locate local consumer-driven mental health services, including resources such as Clubhouses, crisis prevention/respite services, drop-in centers, employment resources, housing, peer case management and support.

Other Suggestions for Supporting Your Loved One's Quality of Life

Every community has different programs and resources available to those living with mental illness. In addition to the resources suggested above, you might consider dialing 2-1-1 to find out if there are other supportive programs in your area.

If you have not already, we encourage you to contact a community behavioral health center (CBHC) in your loved one’s area. Local behavioral health agencies tend to offer the most comprehensive programs and resources for people living with serious mental illness. They may be able to connect you with social, vocational, housing, education, and support programs for your loved one. The agency might suggest that your loved one enrolls in a treatment program like Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) to receive these supports, or they may link you with separate care planning resources in your loved one’s community.

Last, we suggest empowering your loved one to participate in whatever meaningful activities they can. You can do this by joining them in activities that bring them joy or by supporting them in pursuing opportunities to connect with others who share similar interests and experiences.

Hours of operation Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. EST

Call: 800-950-NAMI (6264)

Text: 62640

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Email: helpline@nami.org