Shaping NAMI’s Future Of Strategic Plans & Standards of Excellence Affiliate Networking Session Lynn Borton NAMI Convention ~ July 2009

Getting to Know You x5 ► Your name and where you are from ► One thing you are really proud of ► One thing that worries you ► …and then move on!

What It Means “to be NAMI” ► When I say “NAMI” I mean…

Anniversary: 30 years! States implementing F-t-F with VA: 49 Partnership with HOUSE TV show Grading the States on the way HelpLine contacts: 3,500/month new members through E-Join: 8,665 Payments to the field for new EJoin members: $303,275 Unique visitors to the Web site each month: 550,000 annual budget:$13.4M (flat for 2 fiscal years) State Organizations: working on it 2009 Walks: Walkers: 101,000 Raised: $7,269,827 Connection support groups: 272 affiliates “in good standing”: 908 Affiliates and State Organizations With paid executive directors: 128 Membership processing call participants: 400+ THE CURRENT ECONOMY Diversity Workgroups

Our Plan Tells Us ► For NAMI to be a great organization that delivers superior performance and makes a distinctive impact over a long period of time:  Right people on the bus…  Confront the brutal facts…  Remember our hedgehog…  And maintain a culture of discipline.

Anniversary: 30 years! States implementing F-t-F with VA: Walks: Walkers: 101,000 Raised: $7,269,827 Partnership with HOUSE TV show Grading the States on the way HelpLine contacts: 3,500/month new members through E-Join: 8,665 Payments to the field for new EJoin members: $303,275 Unique visitors to the Web site each month: 550,000 annual budget:$13.4M (flat for 2 fiscal years) State Organizations: working on it Connection support groups: 272 affiliates “in good standing”: 908 Affiliates and State Organizations With paid executive directors: 128 Membership processing call participants: 400+ THE CURRENT ECONOMY Diversity Workgroups

The NAMI “Hedgehog” GREATEST PASSION Our profound rejection of the injustices associated with serious mental illness OUR RESOURCES People, time & money GREATEST SKILL Our ability to express the lived experience of those injustices HEDGEHOG

A Culture of Discipline ► Redefining how we do business ► Investing in infrastructure ► Creating a new generation of leaders & members ► Standards of Excellence

Standards: Process in a Nutshell ► Focus: mutual accountability ► Launched December ‘07 in New Orleans ► Standards Work Group (SWG)  Diverse, representative, hard-working group ► Work organized thematically, in phases  Phase One: adopted by Board in December ‘08  Phase Two: adopted by Board yesterday!  Phase Three: in development now ► Ensuring additional input through Town Hall calls, surveys, listening sessions ► National implementing its requirements first

Standards So Far ► Diversity, Inclusion, Non-Discrimination  Need to clarify: first and foremost this standards applies to full integration of consumers  Voluntarily-supplied demographic data  Templates, forms, and technical assistance ► Communication  Talk to one another. More. Regularly.  Emphasis on transparency  Use of available technology ► Membership  A member is a member is a member – at all levels  Integrated data systems ► Dues  Move toward standardized dues  Open Door dues rate entitles those members to full rights/benefits

Standards So Far, continued ► Program  Fidelity and flexibility  NAMI Signature Programs - and others as well ► Fund Raising  Honoring donors’ wishes  Coordination and communication  Avoid stepping on one another’s toes! ► What Constitutes an Affiliate  Recognize one size won’t fit all: offer a spectrum  Create an “Affiliation Agreement” between National, State and Affiliates - a renewable contract of mutual accountability

Tools for Excellence ► Not fair to ask for performance without providing needed instruments  Goal: set ourselves up for success! ► Programs, tool kits, systems, templates…  TouchBase = the new membership system  Available online ► Sharing resources from all corners of the NAMI organization  Whatchagot?

An Ongoing Process ► Developing the tools ► Working on timelines for implementation at all levels  Many States are ready to implement  A deliberate, but not unnecessarily slow, process  Eventually will entail some bylaws amendments ► Communication process to field  Looking for your support and assistance! 

Why Standards? ► They give us credibility. ► They help us work together. ► They make our expectations explicit. ► They keep us on the right side of the law. ► They will save us time and energy in the long run. ► They help us define what it means to be “NAMI”.

Homework 1. Visit NAMILand and CLD; attend Leadership Institute sessions here in San Francisco. 2. Visit NAMILand again and again from home: Subscribe to Friday Facts ( and keep your contact information up to date Complete NAMI’s online surveys. 5. Keep thinking – and send us your thoughts via 6. Check up on us. 7. Support change.

Diversity Workgroups:_ States implementing F-t-F with VA: Walks: Walkers: 101,000 Raised: $7,269,827 Partnership with HOUSE TV show Grading the States on the way HelpLine contacts: 3,500/month new members through E-Join: 8,665 Payments to the field for new EJoin members: $303,275 Unique visitors to the Web site each month: 550,000 annual budget:$13.4M (flat for 2 fiscal years) State Organizations: working on it Connection support groups: 272 affiliates “in good standing”: 908 Affiliates and State Organizations With paid executive directors: 128 Membership processing call participants: 400+ THE CURRENT ECONOMY We have a job to do. People Need NAMI.