Reaching out to Faith Communities Part I Laying the Foundation

WHO & WHAT IS NAMI? NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness … …the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness through support, education advocacy and research.

Four Phases of Reaching out to Faith Communities Laying the Foundation Opening the Door Sharing Your Story Looking Ahead & Following Up

Our Purpose 1.To equip NAMI members, clergy and congregations for creating more supportive faith communities 2.To share NAMI resources and hopeful stories with religious groups

Why Reach Out to Faith Communities? They are the first place to which many turn Faith communities are more numerous and more evenly distributed geographically Faith groups already provide educational settings Faith groups are already committed to caring and advocating for a better world

Why Reach Out to Faith Communities? NAMI Affiliates Can Receive... Valuable community exposure Education and support group participants Volunteers and advocates New members and community partners

Mental Illness Also Impacts the Faith Community 1 in 4 adults experiences a mental health disorder in a given year About 1 in 17 lives with a serious mental illness 1 in 10 children and youth experience a mental health disorder

Treatment Works But Most Go Without... Fewer than one-third of adults and one-half of children receive treatment There are long delays—an average of eight to ten years—from first symptoms to a proper diagnosis

Lack of Treatment and Support Can Lead to: School failure About half of students with mental illness dropout Unemployment Only 1 in 3 adults living with SMI is employed … most want to work

Lack of Treatment and Support Can Lead To: Homelessness 26 percent of the homeless population lives with a serious mental illness Hospitalization 1 out of every 5 community hospital stays is due to a mental illness

Lack of Treatment and Support Can Lead to: Criminalization About percent of jail and prison inmates and youth involved with juvenile justice live with a mental illness. Suicide We lose one life to suicide every 15.8 minutes.

Honoring Diversity

Individual Spirituality

Religious Bodies

LEARN ALL YOU CAN ABOUT VARIOUS FAITH TRADITIONS ABOUT TERMS USED – FOR CLERGY – HOUSES OF WORSHIP – NOT-FOR-PROFIT AND COMMUNITY GROUPS – FAITH GROUPS

We All Have Connections

Sharing, Listening and Encouraging Requires Humility

Sharing, Listening and Encouraging Requires Being Realistic

Work with a Partner

Form a Team

Your Resource Notebook Local NAMI Affiliate Brochure Local Congregation/Faith Community Contact Sheet Your Lead-in statements and story Fact Sheet Multi-Faith Mental Health Ministry Web sites

Suggestions for Study Take a moment to read each slide Read the notes for each one Keep a notebook handy and jot down … 1. things you agree or disagree with 2. things you have questions about Share your affirmations, concerns and questions with your study group

Visit About Us Stigma of Mental Illness Steps of Ministry Advocacy Examples Day of Prayer Worship Services Faith & Mental Illness Suggested Reading Network Resources Related Links Communities of Faith Discussion GroupAbout UsStigma of Mental IllnessSteps of MinistryAdvocacy ExamplesDay of PrayerWorship ServicesFaith & Mental IllnessSuggested Reading NetworkResourcesRelated LinksCommunities of Faith Discussion Group

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