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NAMI Consumer Council

The NAMI Consumer Council, made up of people who have the lived experience of having a mental illness, is an advisory body to the Board of Directors.  The Council  has one voting Representative and one non-voting Alternate from each state and US territory, including the District of Columbia.  The Council meets yearly at the Annual Convention to elect officers and monthly by teleconference to conduct business.  The officers of the Consumer Council include:

• Chair: Sandra Caron
• First Vice Chair: Catherine Roach
• Second Vice Chair: Susan Ling
• Secretary: Marc Jacques
• Director : Mike Weaver
• Past Chair: Rick Huber

The officers all hold 2 years terms that are staggered for continuity of the Executive Committee.  The Consumer Council Director is elected by the Consumer Council for a 3 year term on the NAMI National Board of Directors. 

The purpose of the Consumer Council is to advance the activities and involvement of the consumer membership of NAMI at the local, state, and national levels by actively participating in advocacy issues and program development.  This will be achieved by:

• Working actively to support the mission of NAMI.
• Working to preserve the respect, dignity, and human rights of mental health consumers.
• Advising the NAMI Board of Directors on the perspectives of their consumer members.
• Communicating the mission of NAMI through active participation in the nationwide consumer movement.
• Empowering and educating mental health consumers to address their issues around care, treatment, services, mutual support and consumer rights.

Consumer Council Committees

The Consumer Council has active committees which focus on specific issues that consumers face.  These committees are:

• Development
• Advocacy
• Education and Recruitment
• Welcome and Orientation

Consumer Council Documents

• Consumer Council Operating Procedures

State Level Consumer Councils

For more information regarding State Level Consumer Councils click on one of these links:

• NAMI Florida Guidebook for Development of a Local Consumer Council

 For More Information:

 For more information about the NAMI Consumer Council please contact Kryssa Kriticos at kkriticos@nami.org.

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