What We Do
SUPPORT
Supporting mental health is about more than just connecting to treatment. NAMI Chicago provides the services needed to support wellness in our community, from lending a listening ear to a concerned family member, to working with individuals long-term connecting to resources for legal and housing assistance. Our Helpline is the heartbeat of this work, serving the community 7 days a week, connecting individuals, families and providers with the right resources for mental health support. Callers dial 833-NAMI-CHI to connect to a live clinician or peer for referrals, guidance and expertise. Sometimes a phone call isn’t enough, and we meet individuals in person to provide advocacy and peer support through mental health challenges.
NAMI Chicago also offers peer-led support groups and classes in various locations across Chicago. These sessions foster community and provide safe spaces to discuss mental health, both for individuals living with a mental health condition and for their families and friends. Our compassionate, knowledgeable peer facilitators provide support and teach new skills along the road to recovery.
9,493 Helpline calls in 2023
EDUCATION
NAMI Chicago’s training & education team are experts on de-escalation, mental health signs and symptoms, and workplace wellness. Our training is trusted to provide honest and open conversations that not only educate, but shift perspective around mental health support and community. These training sessions leave participants feeling empowered to invest in mental wellness and supported on their mental health journey.
Our training and education team leads with passion to dispel myths around mental health and empower our community to fight for wellness. NAMI Chicago’s team serves diverse audiences, including, but not limited to, corporations, first responders, students and community organizations in Chicago. We believe that all people can benefit from building skills around empathy, advocacy, leadership, and mental health signs and symptoms.
5,543 learned through mental wellness trainings in 2023
4,578 educated with Ending the Silence in 2023
2,614 first responders trained in 2023
ADVOCACY
Our mental health system is in need of significant reform. NAMI Chicago joins trusted partners in advocacy efforts to build a more comprehensive, fully-funded system, and increase access to quality mental health services and the support services needed to live in recovery. We know that to create change, we must think systems-wide. We are trusted by community leaders and elected officials at the highest levels as an authentic voice for those affected by mental health conditions. Our work is led by the community, with the voices of real people educating policymakers and building a movement to support mental health.
View our policy brief on transforming mental health in the court system.
OUTREACH
NAMI Chicago is out in the community, everyday, reaching people where they are. We show up and spread the message that recovery is possible, and that we’re here to help. We are in every corner of Chicago, providing resources person to person and through community wellness events.
NAMI Chicago’s community outreach is led through our recovery staff and peers. Since 2011, NAMI Chicago has educated individuals in residential facilities on living independently. This team is there every step of the way helping residents set and meet goals for transitioning into the community. Individuals who have transitioned into the community with the help of NAMI Chicago discover new opportunities through this work, including by serving as peer ambassadors for outreach.