NAMI Launches Together We Care. Together We Share. Campaign to Promote NAMI Support Groups

Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental illness, but less than half of those people seek and get the care they need. Persistent stigma or fears of judgment hinder people from seeking support; this rings especially true in many underserved communities. Free, accessible, peer-led support groups have been available across the U.S. through NAMI for years, but lack broad awareness among target audiences and require trusted facilitators — “people like me” — that will truly drive participation.

Together We Care. Together We Share. is a new campaign in partnership with Kohl’s Cares that speaks to the impact of NAMI support groups: NAMI Connection and NAMI Family Support Group. It conveys the power of coming together in community, which can be healing as people gather to share their experiences.

Our goal is that, through this campaign, we can recruit new NAMI support group facilitators within underserved communities and increase participation within those communities. Specifically, we are hoping to reach adults and young adults within Black, Latino/Hispanic and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.

We have given grants out to around 50 NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates so they can expand their outreach to underserved communities and develop trauma-informed and cross-cultural resources for participants. Some of these resources include updated facilitator skills-building and new implementation guides to help our field leaders tailor their support groups to their community. All new facilitation resources will be informed by peer-reviewed literature on best practices in peer-led support groups.

NAMI support groups create community and foster connection, leading to a sense of belonging and support. They offer an opportunity to connect with community, share stories, access resources and know that no one is alone in their mental health journey. Through Together We Care. Together We Share. our hope is that everyone has access to the support they need.