Alanah Olson

10/13/2022

NSG-3020

Professor Swanson

NAMI Wisconsin is a state organization of NAMI. The mission of NAMI

Wisconsin is to improve the quality of life of people affected by mental illness and to

promote recovery. NAMI tries to promote public education and understanding of mental

illnesses. They also advocate at all levels of government and throughout the public sector

to improve mental health care in Wisconsin. NAMI also supports affiliates by providing

follow-up advice and counsel; educational and training programs and materials; access to

financial resources as appropriate; and by offering conferences, seminars, and

presentations.

NAMI was formed in 1977, when Harriet Shetler and Beverly Young, two

mothers, each with a son with schizophrenia, met over lunch to discuss the similar

challenges they shared in raising a child with a severe mental illness. After some time the

women decided to assemble people with similar concerns for others dealing with mental

illnesses. During this time of figuring out what to call their new alliance, Mrs.Shetler

wanted to name it AMI (alliance for the mentally ill) because AMI in french means

“friend”, so they thought this name was very fitting for their mission. The women of their

new organization hosted a conference in Madison, Wisconsin to try and give their new
organization national recognition. By the end of the conference, they were named NAMI

(National Alliance of the Mentally Ill).

There are three levels to NAMI, NAMI National, NAMI Wisconsin, and NAMI

WI affiliates. Each of the levels have its own jobs but they collaboratively work together

to support the main mission of NAMI. NAMI National does a large amount of making

sure all the state and small affiliate levels maintain the principles of the organization.

The 2021 annual report of NAMI (Nami Board of directors, 2021) outlined the

successes of the program as well as outlines the year’s revenues and expenses. The

organization managed to have almost $818,000 dollars in revenue to make sure people

get the grants they need to attend programs that will help their mental illness. NAMI

Wisconsin also outlined a key point in their crisis interventions training which included:

NAMI Wisconsin continues to expand Crisis Intervention training throughout Wisconsin.

NAMI Wisconsin maintains long-standing partnerships with existing training teams as

well as helps to foster new training teams to bring CIT and CIP to more Wisconsin

communities. This is so important because it ensures that no harm comes to a patient

facing a mental health crisis.

 References

Nami Wisconson board of Directors. (n.d.). Retrieved October 14, 2022, from

https://namiwisconsin.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/42/2022/04/FinalAnnualReport2021.pdf