NAMI Connection

NAMI Connection is a weekly or monthly support group for people living with a mental health condition. This program is also available in Spanish, NAMI Conexión.

Family and Caregiver Support Groups

NAMI Family Support Group is a weekly or monthly support group for family members, partners and friends of individuals living with a mental illness.

Looking for other support groups? contact your local affiliate for details

Parent Advocacy Connection (PAC) is a grassroots organization of trained parent advocates who reflect the cultural and ethnic make-up of the families they serve.  When children require services from multiple sources (i.e., mental health, schools, juvenile courts, developmental disabilities, and alcohol/drug addiction services agencies), it can be difficult for parents to navigate their way through these various service systems.  Families may become overwhelmed and have difficulty expressing their concerns and the needs of their child(ren).  Ohio’s service coordination process recognizes this challenge and has made support for families available through the Parent Advocacy Connection (PAC).

For additional information about PAC, contact Tamisha McKenzie at tamisha@namiohio.org

Find more information and contact forms here 

Family Peer Supporter Training is multi-day training for individuals with lived experience as caregivers to become Certified Family Peer Supporters. The certification will allow those trained and employed as Certified Family Peer Supporter to actively engage with families involved in the System of Care to strive towards positive family management as a part of their child’s treatment process.

YouthMOVE Ohio is a youth-led organization devoted to improving services and systems to support youth inclusion, mental wellness, positive supports, and healthy transition.

CIT is a police-based pre-arrest jail diversion program. The program is designed to create a seamless link between law enforcement and emergency mental health services. CIT officers receive approximately 40 hours of training in areas including psychiatric disorders, substance abuse issues, de-escalation techniques, and in legal issues related to mental health and substance abuse.  In addition, they receive empathy training from individuals with mental illness and gain exposure to the views of family members of those suffering from a mental illness.

NAMI Ohio’s role is critical in the establishment of CIT training programs around the state.  Through grants from the Office of Criminal Justice Services and the CIT Coordinating Center of Excellence, NAMI works with communities in every phase of planning, implementing, and expanding CIT programs. NAMI works with its network of NAMI affiliates, local mental health boards and providers, and local law enforcement agencies to encourage the establishment of CIT training programs around the state.  NAMI offers technical assistance that begins with the planning process and then maintains close and regular contact with the key stakeholders in each community to ensure that the program comes to fruition.

For more information visit https://namiohio.org/crisis-intervention-team/