giving back Supporting People and Their Families Living With Mental Illness By Olivia Overman
T
he National Alliance on Mental Illness Prince William is a non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting, educating and advocating for people living with mental illness and their families. A grass-roots entity, NAMI PW is one of 14 local affiliates in Virginia providing free programs in their communities. NAMI PW provides classes, support groups, educational presentations and a helpline for those with mental health conditions, as well as their families, and is powered by volunteers. Meetings take place in community settings such as libraries, schools and churches. The organization uses local hospitals Sentara and Novant, non-profit organizations such as ACTS, community centers, along with Prince William County and public works buildings for meetings. Todos Supermarket, Woodbridge, also provides access to rooms within their facility.
Programs Offered NAMI PW offers free support through numerous avenues including educational programs, awareness presentations and support groups.
Educational Programs n Family to Family – an eight-session course for family and friends of persons living with a mental health condition n Peer to Peer – a course for persons who have a mental health condition n NAMI Basics – for parents and caregivers of youth 17 years or younger, whether or not the child has a diagnosis n Children’s Challenging Behaviors – a class for parents wondering whether their child’s behavior is developmentally typical or a possible early sign of a mental health problem
18 |
July 2020 prince william living
n Advanced Parent Leadership Training – allows parents who have navigated the mental health systems for their children to share their earned knowledge and experience with other parents
Presentations n Family and Friends – a 90-minute to four-hour overview of mental health conditions and resources n Ending the Silence – an anti-stigma presentation in three versions, running approximately 50 minutes to 1.5 hours for middle- and high-school students, parents and school staff n In Our Own Voice – a peer presentation focusing on recovery, suitable for general audiences and runs 60 to 90 minutes
Support Groups and Community Education NAMI Prince William also offers Family Support Groups led by trained family volunteers in English and in Spanish. In the future, the organization is hoping to offer NAMI Connections, a support group for persons with a mental health condition. NAMI PW joins meetings of DIVERT (a jail diversion program) and works to support the program. It also participates in Crisis Intervention Team training to educate law enforcement, first responders, dispatchers and other county staff on the family impact and perspective when loved ones have a mental health condition.
Multilingual Programs “NAMI Prince William is unique in Virginia in that we are the only affiliate currently offering programs in Spanish,” said Pat Victorson, program coordinator. “This is thanks to collaboration with the Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Action and grants from the Potomac Health Foundation and Novant/
