Family • Friends • Advocacy
We are growing with the times but we remember what’s important . . .
NAMI Schenectady is a “grassroots” advocacy organization dedicated to building better lives for those affected by mental illness. Over 30 years ago a group of Schenectady parents founded a support group for the purpose of helping one another cope with the effects of their family members’ mental illness. The Schenectady Relatives Group became incorporated as AMI-Schenectady in 1988 and has been meeting ever since. In 1998 the group officially changed its name to NAMI Schenectady to reflect its affiliation with the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Our membership now includes those living with mental illness, family members, advocates, professionals and service providers. NAMI Schenectady is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
Family Support: The NAMI Family Support Group meets almost every Wednesday evening at Ellis Hospital from 6-8 PM. A trained Clinical Social Worker, Kevin Moran, facilitates the group for family members of people suffering from a mental health condition or mental illness. For more information, contact the NAMI support line at 518-986-9114. Anyone with an impacted family member is welcome regardless of residency. To attend this confidential, free group, sign in at Ellis Hospital’s Security Desk, accessed through the Emergency Department entrance, and ask directions to the C3 conference room in the Psychiatry Department.. Please check the Directory of Services (in the drop-down menu above) for listings of other Capital District Family Support and Children’s Services.
PLEASE NOTE: The NAMI family support group meeting will NOT be held on Wednesday, July 16th, but will continue with its regular schedule again the following Wednesday, July 23rd.
Friends: Recreational activities, picnics, meetings, and other friendly gatherings are scheduled throughout the year. Check our Postings and Events Calendar from time to time for more information.
Advocacy: NAMI Schenectady can help in the search for advocacy and self-help groups. Check the Directory of Services in categories such as Benefits, Compeer/Peer Self-Help, and Legal Services to name a few. Also note that a growing list of links is posted on our “Other Resources” page and includes activities in the Capital District, statewide, and nationally.
C.R.E.A.T.E. June 28 2025 logos