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Nami |
NAMI
Humboldt is a grassroots, not-for-profit We are primarily dedicated to helping families of people with mental illnesses and to improving the lives of those who have them. The most common of these brain illnesses are major depression, schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorder, bipolar or manic-depressive illness, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress syndrome & panic disorder. We also welcome and include: friends, caregivers, the ill people themselves (often called "consumers"), mental-health professionals and all other interested members of the public who care. Through your participation and membership, NAMI Humboldt offers you: Support We've been there! We know how devastating these neurobiological disorders are for everyone concerned. We share experiences with other family members and offer caring and understanding support. Together we grieve, we laugh. You need not feel alone. Education We've learned how the local system works and share how to get needed help. Through speakers, information distribution and our affiliations with the National and California Alliances on Mental Illness, we both learn and keep up-to-date about brain diseases. NAMI Humboldt sponsors the "Family-to-Family Education Program," a free, 12-week educational course taught by trained family members for families and friends of people with mental illnesses. The course is further described elsewhere on this website. We educate others in the county about brain disorders to counter ignorance and stigma and to promote positive treatment. We outreach to the community through our monthly meetings and other events. Advocacy We advocate to develop better services and treatment for people with mental illnesses in Humboldt County. Our parent organizations, NAMI and NAMI California, are the strongest mental health advocacy groups in America. They speak out for modern, compassionate treatment for neurobiological disorders. Through NAMI and NAMI California we can influence the larger decisions which determine the fate of people with psychiatric disabilities in our country--and our county. Volunteers greatly appreciated. As an all volunteer group, we are regularly looking for folks who would like to use their skills and talents to help with NAMI Humboldt's mission . You can volunteer 2 hours a month, once a year, one day at a time, etc. Whatever you can do is greatly appreciated. Some of the ways to help would be : writing newsletter articles, editing, folding, labeling, or mailing, membership functions, fundraising, writing grants, legislation issues, maybe just writing a letter once in a while to local or state agencies, health fairs, publication distribution, program organizers, support group facilitator, helping with the Christmas party, Family to Family teachers. If we have more volunteers, we can be more effective, and maybe have more informational classes for families and for consumers.There is a spot for whatever you can do. Each of us can do a little, together a lot. |
