NAMI believes that all people with mental health conditions deserve access to supports that promote wellness. NAMI supports public policies and laws that help address social determinants of health, including supporting employment for individuals with mental health conditions.
“My mental condition was horribly debilitating for many years. I had no reason to get out of bed in the morning….I had no direction and no purpose. Now, when my feet hit the floor, I get to go to work every day and practice my passion.” – Stephanie Joseph, CPA, Office Admini...
In the upcoming issue of Administration & Policy in Mental Health , researchers will publish significant findings that integrated treatment models, which include supported employment assistance, are effective in helping even those people with severe mental illnesses who i...
Recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a letter supporting work requirements for non-disabled Medicaid enrollees. Rather than spending limited public resources on enforcing mandatory work requirements, NAMI urges states to invest in supported employment...
The short answer is yes—stigma does prevent people with mental illness from getting a job. But why? Well, people with mental health conditions are typically held responsible and blamed for their behavior and symptoms. Simultaneously, they are perceived as unable to mak...
What job or volunteer opportunities does NAMI have available?
NAMI believes that public policies and practices should promote access to care for people with mental health conditions. NAMI opposes efforts to take Medicaid coverage away from people who don’t meet a work requirement.
The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) says it's time to remove one of the last remaining vestiges of discrimination-unemployment--and begin hiring more people in recovery from mental illnesses within the mental healthcare system.
I was unemployed for many years while I was most ill. During that time, I felt worthless and dependent. Why? Because of: The debilitating impacts of mental illness. The fear of having to explain my spotty resume due to multiple hospitalizations and depressiv...
The federal-state vocational rehabilitation system that supports the employment needs of people with severe mental illnesses is "an abject failure," according to a new report released today by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI).
Tom Stolpa is a 26-year-old man with a wry sense of humor, a steady job and aspirations of achieving a doctorate. He also happens to live with bipolar disorder. Each week, Tom goes to work at the Coulee Children’s Center in La Crosse, Wis. as a janitor. In his 12 hour a...
Once again, I dusted off my outdated resume and began to write cover letters. Feeling cautiously optimistic, I applied to several companies listed on an employment site. As I returned to the job hunt, I was acutely aware that my moods could stop me from staying employed (a...
The prospect of becoming an adult that can be a bit overwhelming for everyone, but there are certain questions and considerations that are especially important if you have a mental health condition. How Do You Handle a Job? Now that you are an adult and are able to st...
Psychosocial treatments look at someone’s psychological development and how it contributes to the way that they act in and respond to their social environment.
Work is just one area of life where stigma can manifest. Especially for the many people struggling with serious mental illness, who are often labeled as “too sick” or “too dangerous” to work. The majority of individuals with serious mental illness express the desire to w...
One in three individuals with severe mental illness has been turned down for a job for which they were qualified because of a psychiatric label, according to a new study released today at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting by the National Alliance for the Me...