Each year, during the first week of October, NAMI and Affiliates across the country raise awareness of mental illness, fight discrimination and provide support through Mental Illness Awareness Week. This important week was established in 1990 by Congress to officially recognize the impact mental illness has on millions of lives.
NAMI Finger Lakes works to end the stigma of mental illness through classes, support groups, our Help Line and presentations throughout the year. However, Mental Illness Awareness Week is an opportunity for all of us to come together as one to learn together and support one another.
This year’s MIAW message is centered around the new awareness campaign, “Together for Mental Health,” where the focus is on the importance of advocating for better care for people with serious mental illness (SMI). Please take time each day throughout the week to learn from people with lived experience and to talk about SMI and the need for improved crisis response and mental health care.
Join our upcoming Free NAMI Smarts For Advocacy Workshop mentioned in this newsletter to learn how you can advocate for better mental health care for all.
NAMI has prepared several resources to learn from this week. Check them out below.
