In an opinion piece, NAMI CEO Daniel Gillison wrote: The pandemic has hit people hard — especially their mental health. As the CEO of the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, I know that we have to act urgently to avoid traumatic outcomes. Our failure to treat mental health crises leads to people cycling in […]
The psychiatric staff at Children’s National saw a change with COVID — common issues are amplified with mild depression leading to major depression. Across the country, only about 10% of hospitals have pediatric psychiatric services and only about 7% provide inpatient care, resulting in children waiting in the ER for beds, sometimes for weeks on […]
Breakups are a fact of life. Whether your connection is friendly, romantic or professional, many relationships run their course including with a therapist. “Therapy is often life-changing,” said Dr. Christine Crawford, associate medical director of NAMI. “Some patients come riddled with anxieties, depression, and self-doubt and leave with a fresh perspective, new insights and a […]
In advance of the July launch of 988, mental health experts worry about workforce capacity issues and the ability to provide 24/7 crisis care. "Fortunately, most [states] are taking this as an opportunity and are working towards increasing their Lifeline call centers within the network," said Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI CAO. "But when somebody calls in, […]
Dr. Christine Crawford, associate medical director at NAMI, said parents can explain in simple terms what they do to calm down. The key is to keep listening. "If your child is keeping to themselves, they're just staying in the room, they're not engaging with you, or with their friends, then that's certainly reason to be […]
A major effort to overhaul mental health care and substance use treatment in the U.S. is gaining traction as Congress and the Biden administration work on overlapping plans to address concerns across dividing lines of politics, geography and race. Top goals include responding to the mental health crisis among youth, increasing the supply of professional […]
Hannah Wesolowski, NAMI chief advocacy officer, is featured in a live, on-camera interview, discussing mental illness, misinformation, and explains ‘red flag’ laws. “It is rare that a shooter in this situation has a mental health diagnosis. When we focus on mental illness, it distracts from the topic at hand on how to address this gun […]
For the column “Actionable Advice to Help Kids Thrive,” Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO, shares his ‘Tip of the Week.’ He discusses motivational interviewing techniques to engage with teens. Motivational interviewing is a way of talking to someone who needs support but doesn’t want to be told what to do. It often produces better results for […]
Nearly 53 million Americans—roughly one in five adults in the U.S.—experienced some form of mental illness in 2020, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Since the start of the pandemic, perhaps as a response, some 39% of employers expanded access to mental health services, according to the KFF’s 2021 Employer Health Benefits […]
After stopping my anxiety medication too quickly, I needed expert assistance quickly. I have good health insurance, but finding an appropriate professional became a lengthy, frustrating process. The lack of current or reliable online information for mental health was a big problem, even for me — and I’ve worked in health care. In 2021, a […]
NAMI HelpLine is available M-F, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET. Call 800-950-6264,
text “NAMI” to 62640, or email. In a crisis, call or text 988 (24/7).
