NAMI Schenectady is a grassroots organization dedicated to building better lives for those affected by mental illness.
- to help one another in family support groups.
- to educate ourselves and others about mental illness and all the attendant issues.
- to advocate for more and better services and facilities for people with mental illness.
- to work to improve community and hospital mental health services.
- to fight the stigma associated with mental illness.
- to promote research in the causes and treatment of mental illness.
- to promote the rights and interests of people with mental illness.
- to collect funds for the above purposes.
We achieve our goals by:
- encouraging attendance at family support groups where we help ourselves, and others with relatives and friends who have mental illness, by listening and learning from one another’s lived experiences. We help each other get over the hurdles in obtaining services and assistance from local mental health and housing providers, hospitals and governmental agencies for our loved ones.
- conducting monthly meetings with a speaker and discussion, held locally either at lunchtime or in the early evenings. There are no monthly meetings in July, August or January, but the organization’s Annual Meeting is held early in the new year. Free educational literature on mental illnesses and related topics are made available for the asking.
- advocating at local, state, and federal government levels for better funding, services and conditions for people with mental illness, while combating stigma against mental illness, and calling for the protection of basic human rights and dignity.
- countering the myths about mental illness through educating the public at forums, by writing editorials and issuing public statements, by participating in NAMI Walks, and by offering free to the public NAMI’s Signature Programs like the Family to Family course.
- donating funds to local agencies such as Bethesda House for the social, recreational, educational and other activities of those with mental illness, and volunteer our time to sponsor and encourage healthy social and recreational activites for interested persons in recovery.