Home About NAMI-VT

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NAMI-Vermont is a statewide volunteer organization comprised of family members, friends, and individuals affected by mental illness. We have experienced the struggles and have joined together in membership to help ourselves and others by providing support, information, education and advocacy.

NAMI-Vermont began as a spontaneous, grassroots family movement in 1983, just six years after NAMI National was founded. NAMI-Vermont was incorporated as a state organization affiliated with NAMI in 1984, and today has 11 support groups. With a dedicated board, over one hundred volunteers, and four staff members, NAMI-Vermont provides education, advocacy and support to those in need.

See below to join a support group near you.

WHAT IS MENTAL ILLNESS?

'Mental illness' causes severe disturbances in thinking, feeling, and relating. They result in substantially diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. Brain disorders can affect people of any age - children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly - and they can occur in any family. Several million people in the U.S. suffer from a serious, long-term brain disorder. The cost to society is high due to lost productivity and treatment expense. People with mental illness occupy more hospital beds than people with any other illness. Mental illnesses are treatable. Most people with serious mental illness need medication to help control symptoms, but also rely on supportive counseling, self-help groups, assistance with housing, vocational rehabilitation, income assistance and other community services in order to achieve their highest level of recovery.

FACTS ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS IN VERMONT

There are over 33,000 adults with serious and persistent mental illness in Vermont.

While our mental health system has emerged from the dark ages of institutional warehousing of the mentally ill, there is still a lot to do to promote adequate, appropriate and accessible services and housing for persons with no-fault neurobiological brain diseases. NAMI-VT works actively with legislators and other key stakeholders to promote high quality care.  NAMI VT's strength comes from its members, so please join us in improving the lives of all people affected by mental illness.

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