How can I get involved to advocate on behalf of mental health?

Personal advocacy is an essential element to the fight against stigma, and NAMI relies on it to get our message out to the public. However, as an organization NAMI does not possess the resources to advocate on behalf of specific individuals or situations. 

How NAMI Can Help

Much advocacy happens at local and state level. To get involved and help others living with mental health conditions, we encourage you to contact your NAMI State Organization or local NAMI Affiliate that can tell you about our NAMI Smarts For Advocacy program that provides training to assist individuals with lived experience to transform their passion and experience into skillful grassroots-advocacy. To find your nearest NAMI Affiliate, click on your state through the Find Your Local NAMI menu. 

The NAMI Advocacy Action Center (Quorum) provides information and resources on how to get involved in State advocacy, including learning about the issues, voting rights, and how elected officials impact mental health services in the community, as well as ways to discuss mental health issues with candidates and more.

Other Mental Health Self-Advocacy Organizations

  • CareForYourMind.org is an advocacy blog sponsored by Families for Depression Awareness organization that provides an online forum where those affected by the mental health care system can openly discuss its strengths and weakness, along with thought leaders and advocates.
  • Be Vocal is a partnership of six leading mental health advocacy organizations, including NAMI, that encourages people to advocate for themselves and their community by using their voice in support of mental health. The website provides tips for how to “speak up” - in person and on social media about their experience with mental health.
  • Active Minds is an organization dedicated to providing education, research and advocacy surrounding mental health. Their website offers general information about mental health and information about how to start a new chapter of the organization at university. Active Minds can be reached at (202) 332-9595.

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

Call: 800-950-NAMI (6264) 

Text: 62640 

Webchat: www.nami.org/help  

Email: helpline@nami.org

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