Hudson County residents caring for youth with mental health symptoms can participate in a six-session NAMI Basics course offered this February through NAMI Hudson County. The program is designed for parents, caregivers, and family members supporting individuals aged 18 and younger.
Advance registration is required. Details and enrollment information are available at namihudsoncounty.org, and questions may be directed via email.
- NAMI Hudson County is offering a six-session NAMI Basics class beginning Feb. 23, held Monday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. through March.
- The program is designed for parents and caregivers of youth age 18 and younger experiencing mental health symptoms, and registration must be completed by this Thursday.
- NAMI New Jersey, founded in 1985, now operates across 21 County Affiliates and is part of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which includes more than 600 local Affiliates and 48 State Organizations nationwide.
Six-Session NAMI Basics Class Begins Feb. 23
NAMI Hudson County is offering NAMI Basics, a six-session educational program specifically for families and caregivers of youth aged 18 and younger who are experiencing mental health symptoms.
The class will be conducted virtually on Monday evenings beginning Feb. 23 and continuing weekly through March. Each session will run from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Registration for the NAMI Basics class must be completed by this Thursday. Advance registration is required.
Founded in 1985, Following Years of Deinstitutionalization
The Hudson County affiliate operates under NAMI New Jersey, founded in 1985 by concerned New Jersey family members who had loved ones with mental illness.
The organization formed during the period following “Deinstitutionalization,” when care for individuals affected by mental illness was severely fragmented. Family volunteers came together for mutual support, education, and empowerment. They advocated for improved treatment and living conditions for their own relatives and for all people affected by mental illness.
From its early years, NAMI NJ expanded into an organization composed of volunteers across 21 local County Affiliates.
In January 1992, NAMI NJ hired an Executive Director and part-time clerical staff. Over the past three decades, staffing expanded to include eight full-time staff members and more than 10 part-time program coordinators and outreach positions.
The partnership between staff and volunteers led to the training of volunteers to assess the quality of care provided to clients in mental health agencies and to patients in State Hospitals. Volunteers have also been trained to serve as family educators, support group facilitators, legislative advocates, and recovery-oriented presenters. Staff and volunteers serve on governmental policy stakeholder committees.
Programs Developed for Schools, Communities, and Diverse Populations
In response to the mental health needs of children, adults, and families across economic and cultural backgrounds, NAMI NJ developed support, education, and advocacy programs throughout the state.
The organization produced award-winning videos, including:
- “Documenting Our Presence, Multicultural Experiences of Mental Illness”
- “Communities We Serve, Law Enforcement Training”
As New Jersey’s designated NIMH Outreach Partner, NAMI NJ serves as the primary resource for information on mental illness and support for residents statewide.
Since 2005, NAMI NJ has worked to establish a link with public schools and developed a partnership with the New Jersey Department of Education to provide K–12 educators with “Educating the Educators” (ETE), a professional development program focused on mental illness and classroom management skills.
In 2009, in response to an upsurge in suicide, bullying, depression, and failing mental health among middle and high school students, NAMI NJ developed the “Every Mind Matters” (EMM) Program.
The organization has also been developing initiatives to reach Veterans and their families.
National Origins in the Early 1970s
National Alliance on Mental Illness began in the early 1970s when small groups of family members across the country gathered around kitchen tables seeking support and understanding for their mentally ill relatives, often young adult children.
Many participants were mothers who were blamed by the medical profession, which attributed their child’s schizophrenia or other mental health disorder to parenting skills.
In the late 1970s, families gathered in Madison, Wisconsin, and formed state associations. Within a few years, those state organizations established a national entity named NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
The organization began as a volunteer-driven effort and continues to operate in that way. Today, NAMI consists of more than 600 local Affiliates and 48 State Organizations that work in communities to raise awareness and provide support and education that had not previously been available.
Vision, Mission, Values, and Goals
NAMI envisions a world where all people affected by mental illness live healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares.
NAMI NJ is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness through education, support, system advocacy, and public awareness initiatives.
The organization’s stated values include:
- Hope: Belief in recovery, wellness, and the potential in all individuals
- Inclusion: Embracing diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives
- Empowerment: Promoting confidence, self-efficacy, and service to the mission
- Compassion: Practicing respect, kindness, and empathy
- Fairness: Fighting for equity and justice
Its goals include helping people get help early, receive the best possible care, and be diverted from the justice system, along with New Jersey–centric goals.
Under its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion commitment, NAMI states that a diverse, inclusive, and equitable Alliance is one where employees, volunteers, and members — regardless of gender, race, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, education, disability, veteran status, or other dimension of diversity — feel valued and respected. The organization commits to a nondiscriminatory approach and equal opportunity for employment, participation, and advancement in all programs and worksites.
