Press Releases

NAMI’s poll finds that parents are deeply concerned about their children’s mental health and, importantly, understand the value of mental health awareness and treatment. We encourage parents to seek help for their children if they see signs that concern them.

With today’s decision to require providers to support text messaging to 988, the FCC has created a new vehicle for people to access help. The ability to text 988 will support at-risk communities, including youth and young adults, marginalized and underserved populations, and individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.

“By responding to a mental health crisis with mental health professionals, lives will be saved and people in crisis can get the right care when they need it most,” said Daniel H. Gillison Jr, NAMI CEO.

We commissioned this important survey during the pandemic to get a clearer understanding of how different communities are faring. Younger adults (18–34) experience greater concerns about the judgment and stigma they may experience from seeking out treatment. When they do seek out treatment, they have greater difficulty in accessing affordable, professional care.

The survey sought to better understand the impact of mood disorders, which include common mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and other kinds of depression. While racial disparities exist across all communities, our survey found that Hispanic and Asian American individuals are facing more significant struggles, including a lack of cultural competency among health care professionals.

This MIAW, NAMI is highlighting our “Together for Mental Health” campaign, which focuses on the importance of improving the mental health care system. Each day throughout the week (Oct. 3 – 9), we will spread awareness about some of the most common barriers to mental health care people with mental illness face. We will accomplish this by raising the voices of those with lived experience and sharing their compelling stories.

Reminders of 9/11 are all around us — in the news, in documentaries, on social media and in the broader public discussion. For many people, those reminders vividly bring back the trauma they first felt two decades ago. We respond to grief and tragedy in our own ways and our own time. You should know that you are not alone — and that help is available.

The cost of treatment and access to quality, affordable care, along with stigma, are major barriers to Americans seeking help for mood disorders, according to a national survey out today. The 2021 Mood Disorder Survey was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

NAMI and The Steve Fund have established a new partnership to promote programs and services to support the mental health of Black families and other families of color, uniting two organizations with a mutual goal to build knowledge about mental health and access to needed resources.