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Published by NAMI North Carolina
North Carolina’s Voice on Mental Illness
It’s membership renewal time. Let’s make sure that NAMI programs throughout our state continue through your ongoing support. Let’s work to strengthen our advocacy efforts. Renew or join for the first time through your affiliate. Annual dues are $35. You will receive Clippings from NAMI-NC and The Advocate from NAMI. Your voice can make a difference! Call NAMI-NC (919-788-0801) or go to www.naminc.org for an affiliate near you. To continue getting Clippings and other member benefits, please renew your membership by January 2005. NAMI North Carolina Members Attend NAMI National Convention NAMI’s 25th Anniversary National Convention, held over five September days in Washington DC, offered NAMI North Carolina members a chance to make ties with NAMI members throughout the country, attend workshops and presentations, and celebrate the progress NAMI has made throughout the years. Several members of NAMI-NC’s staff and Board of Directors attended the Convention, along with members from affiliates throughout the state. In total, over 50 North Carolinians attended. NAMI-NC’s members took an active role in the conference both as presenters and attendees. Linda Swann, Director, Young Families Program presented a poster session about educational materials for teachers who work with children with mental illnesses. Former Executive Director of NAMI-NC, Beth Melcher, PhD, presented a session about evidence-based practice. Other North Carolinians who presented included Mary Ann Widenhouse and Joe Donovan, former NAMI board members. The Convention began with a pre-convention series that consisted of intensive half-day workshops. NAMI-NC staff, board members and affiliate members participated in the State President’s Council meeting, the Executive Director’s Group meeting, the Consumer Council Representatives meeting, the Affiliate Leaders Networking meetings, the Family-to-Family institute, and the Young Families Program institute. After the pre-convention series, NAMI-NC members particularly enjoyed the two days devoted to research and advocacy. “To me, the highlight of the Convention is always the day devoted to research,” said Diane Weaver, NAMI Four Seasons. Weaver spoke of recent studies that indicate that untreated mental illness is linked with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. (See page 6 for related story about Weaver’s children, Buddy and Ruthie Cumberland.) Other research presented at the Convention included the work being done to identify and isolate genes that are linked with mental illness, preliminary results of the CATIE study comparing the effectiveness of older and atypical anti-psychotics for treating schizophrenia, and how faith communities can better serve those with mental illnesses For Beth Garriss Hardy, PhD, President, NAMI-NC Board of Directors, Advocacy Day was one of the best parts of the Convention. According to Garriss Hardy, “Having the convention in Washington, DC afforded all of us the opportunity to share NAMI issues with our elected congressional representatives. No one can deliver the NAMI message more effectively than NAMI members.” In total, 26 NAMI-NC members attended meetings with Representative Sue Myrick, Representative Howard Coble, Senator Elizabeth Dole’s staff, and Representative David Price’s staff. Garriss Hardy expressed her gratitude to the legislators who attended the meetings, and encouraged NAMI-NC members to communicate directly with the legislators who were not in attendance . Packets of materials prepared for “Advocacy Day” are still available from the state office to help educator legislators about NAMI-NC’s legislative issues. Thanks to all of the NAMI-NC members who took time to attend the Convention!
By Kalani MacGregor, MPH, Editor, Clippings Clippings, Board of Directors, Staff Contact Information NAMI-NC Board of Directors Beth Garriss Hardy, PhD, President NAMI-NC Office Staff Adele Foschia,
Interim Executive Director NAMI North Carolina is pleased to accept submissions, although guaranteed publication requires prior approval. The articles published, whether written by staff or outside contributors, are subject to editing for length, style, clarity and content. Submissions can be made by e-mail to mail@naminc.org, or by fax or mail (see back of Clippings) to the NAMI-NC office. Clippings is edited by Kalani MacGregor, MPH. Printing services are provided by Carter Printing. To Members of NAMI North Carolina: Your current membership year is drawing to a close soon, and now is the time to renew your membership for 2005. Those of you who attended our Fall Regional Meetings have offered resounding support for the new initiatives we are working toward accomplishing in NAMI North Carolina for the coming year. These meetings represent just the beginning of our commitment to the NAMI-NC’s version of the Three R’s: Reconnect, Redefine, and Revitalize. We have begun the dialog that will reconnect the various parts of our organization with each other. We are working hard to redefine the way we go about achieving NAMI’s mission. We hope that each and every one of you will join our efforts to revitalize NAMI North Carolina so that we are indeed North Carolina’s Voice on Mental Illness. Join today, and bring a friend. A critical component of the NAMI-NC strategic plan and public policy agenda is to strengthening our involvement in the implementation of the state plan for mental health reform. It is our collective responsibility to monitor how reform is playing out across the state. This requires active involvement on the part of our membership, in YOUR local community. This requires effective communication between you (the membership) and our state office. Please let us know how we can better assist with advocacy efforts in your community. Please help us increase our membership so that this important work can be shared by more and more family members, consumers and professionals in a collaborative way. Again, I urge you to join today through your local affiliate, and to bring a friend into our great organization. (To get contact information for your local affiliate, either go to www.naminc.org or call the state office at 919-788-0801.) -Beth Garriss Hardy, PhD Affiliate Voices: Your Board is Listening Results of two member surveys over the last several months are giving NAMI North Carolina staff and board critical information to guide planning for growing programs to help affiliates. With 31 affiliates responding, almost all affiliates were represented in the surveys. The NAMI-NC 2004 Membership Survey conducted by mail early in the year identified the following as the ten issues most important to our advocacy efforts: 1) Issues related to reform, especially eliminating hospital beds before communities are ready to provide adequate services; 2) Insurance parity/ medication cost issues; 3) Housing issues; 4) Public awareness/stigma; 5) Jail diversion/legal issues; 6) Funding/ legislative issues; 7) Family involvement in treatment; 8) Consumer activities/initiatives; 9) Children’s mental health issues; and 10) Employment issues. Surveys and dialog generated at the three Fall Regional Meetings confirmed the importance of the issues identified in the Membership Survey. In addition, the following areas were identified as needing to be developed/expanded to assist affiliates in their efforts to advocate and educate at the local level: 1) Additional programs for consumers; 2) A more active membership; 3) More leadership development opportunities; 3)Stronger relationships with LMEs and providers; 4) Better flow of information, especially about legislative issues; 5) And, of course, additional funding to build programs. These issues and challenges are of great concern to us, and are under review and discussion by staff and board committees. For example, we are working hard to secure funding for In Our Own Voice, a consumer-run program from NAMI National that we hope to implement statewide in the coming year. We continue to strengthen communication between the state office and affiliates so we can find the most effective way to work together to address these needs. Let us know what you think the most promising solutions are. Together we can accomplish a great deal on behalf of persons with brain disorders. By Beth Garriss Hardy, PhD, President, NAMI North Carolina Board of Directors A Message from the Executive Director Dear Members, Friends and Supporters of NAMI North Carolina: An apartment, a job and a date on the weekends– these are just some of the things that people with mental illness need in addition to treatment, according to Charles Curie, Director of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In saying this at the NAMI National Convention, Curie made the important point that in addition to treatment, people with mental illness have the same basic needs as anyone. Fair treatment of the mentally ill in housing, health insurance coverage, and by law enforcement was covered at length during the NAMI National Convention. Parity, or providing health insurance coverage at the same level and cost for mental illnesses as physical illnesses, was discussed during the Convention. Although opponents cite high costs, there are also costs of not having parity: estimates indicate that inadequate treatment of the mentally ill contributes to the loss of 79 billion dollars annually from low productivity, unemployment, emergency room visits, homelessness, and incarceration. The lack of affordable housing is yet another important issue for people with mental illness, with people on SSI having to pay 105%of their income on housing. The high cost of housing can result in homelessness or being unable to afford other necessities. Finally, the disproportionate number of prison inmates suffering from mental illness was discussed at the Convention. One study indicated that the largest provider of “psychiatric services” in the United States is the Los Angeles jail. In North Carolina, many people with mental illness are “served” by our jails and prisons. These are just a few of the issues that are important nationally and in North Carolina. Please encourage your local officials to support fair treatment of the mentally ill in all areas. Advocate for meeting the full spectrum of the needs of consumers with mental illness and their families by joining your local Consumer and Family Advisory Committee (CFAC) and advising your Local Management Entity (LME). Thanks to all of you already affecting local and state policy through your dedication and hard work. Please also take the time to renew your NAMI membership or if you are not a member please join today. -Chris Aycock, MPA We are
sad to announce that Chris Aycock, MPA, former Executive Director of NAMI
North Carolina, has left to pursue other opportunities. The NAMI-NC staff
and Board of Directors wish him the best and thank him for his dedication
and hard work as Executive Director. Affiliates Hold Mental Illness Awareness Week Events During the Fall, two powerful events were hosted by affiliates during Mental Illness Awareness Week. NAMI Wilmington hosted the legislative breakfast and NAMI Moore hosted a candlelight vigil to raise community awareness about mental illness. NAMI Moore’s 9th Annual Candlelight Vigil was held on October 3 at 7PM in the historic sanctuary in Village Chapel in Pinehurst. Judith Krall, President, NAMI Moore County, opened the night by discussing the importance of eradicating the stigma of mental illness. Chris Aycock, MPA, former Executive Director of NAMI North Carolina, was the main speaker at the event. Following Aycock’s speech, certificates of appreciation were presented to Representative Richard Morgan, co-speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, and Michael Watson, Executive Director, Sandhills Center for Mental Health. The night concluded with the candlelight vigil in the garden, followed by a dessert reception in the atrium. Those who attended the event were moved by the candlelight ceremony recognizing the many people impacted by mental illness. According to Aycock, the event really made him aware of the power that comes from people working together. “I had a strong feeling when I stood with others holding my candle, of the great power and strength we have as a community,” said Aycock. Another event held during Mental Illness Awareness Week, was the Annual Legislative Breakfast, hosted by NAMI Wilmington. The annual event brings together community members and their legislators, and provides a forum to share legislative concerns and priorities. Stan Oathout, President, NAMI Wilmington, said that the best part of this year’s event was the turnout of such a diverse group of community members. “The most important aspect of the event had to be the turnout,” said Oathout. “Seventy-six very diverse people attended.” Another highlight of the event, according to Oathout, was the speech by Senator Woody White. By Kalani MacGregor, MPH, Editor, Clippings The NAMI-NC Board of Directors invites nominations for new Directors for next year. Please contact Nancye Bryan, Board Recruitment Committee Chair, for further information about the election process that will take place in the Spring. Names should be submitted to the Committee via email to: nancye@durhambryans.com or call 919-489-0514. Deadline for submission of names:
January 10, 2005. Why Consumer and Family Advisory Committees (CFACs) Matter Several members of our local community, including consumers, providers, and the staff of our Local Management Entity (LME), have a shared determination that the lives of those of us with psychiatric diagnoses will improve. After only a little more than two years, our dedication is beginning to make tracks that are encouraging. A process that has some sense of flow has developed, and it includes the broader community beyond area program/LME leadership.Collaborations have taken root, and new partnerships have moved from possibilities to probabilities as the community seeks to turn ideas into solutions. These positive results are becoming the community standard since our Consumer and Family Advisory Committee (CFAC) has become grounded, focused, and active. We have learned that consumer activity can become part of community leadership! For social progress to take place in any community, a group of people must unite, take risks for a higher cause, and have the courage to keep pressing through in the face of adversity. Someone, or a group of someones, must take the initiative so progress can result. This is what took place as our CFAC developed and formed a working relationship with the Board and Director of our LME. As the process unfolded, the values that we shared as consumers, family members, staff and governing officials ultimately become the guiding principles to move forward as a community. Relatively speaking, while much work has taken place, our community has little to “show” for it yet—only a few changes in services are really obvious, although several initiatives have begun. What we have discovered together is the promise of hope as we are offered the opportunity to contribute to solutions where we had none before. This means we can now inform our local policy makers of the realities of our service issues and the specific ways in which these services can be improved! This opportunity must not be underestimated. In our community, we learned that in the past, the individuals who approved changes in services were concerned, but lacked the detailed understanding of the ground-level issues that they needed to make responsible decisions. Now, through the establishment of CFACs, we are invited to the table to contribute this vital information and help in creating or recommending solutions. Once we are at the table, we can assert our readiness to help. We have learned from our disorders, and are now individuals well-seasoned through experience. We can communicate with conviction our capabilities and our desires to improve and enrich our communities. We can re-define for those around us who we are in this process of helping to determine what kind of community mental health systems we will have. There is much of life that just happens to us. But through our involvement on CFACs, we can influence how life happens to us to some degree. To do this, we must be ready to be creative, use our imaginations, be resourceful, and assert our ability to establish partnerships and negotiate change. We must begin a new kind of dialog within ourselves and within our communities, redefining ourselves not only as consumers, but as major contributors to community development. This is why CFACs truly matter. By Laurie Coker, Member, NAMI North Carolina Board of Directors Depression in College Students As NAMI members, we understand that mental illness often strikes between the ages of 18 and 25. This is also the time that many young adults attend college. According to the American College Health Association, more than 1,100 college students commit suicide each year. Even when students aren’t suicidal, more than 40 percent of students said they felt “so depressed it was difficult to function” during the school year. Colleges and universities are using a variety of strategies to deal with this problem. Stategies include providing extra support and adequate counseling for students, as is done at New York University (NYU). NYU offers assistance to students such as a 24-hour “wellness” hotline, which can include sending counselors to meet with students in their dorms. On the other end of the spectrum are colleges that “deal” with the problem by excluding students with mental illness, or creating an environment that makes it difficult for students diagnosed with mental illness to succeed. Dean Marilee Jones, of Massachusettes Institute of Technology (MIT), says the school is looking for students who are “emotionally resilient.” She goes on to say, “If we think someone will crumble the first time they do poorly on a test, we’re not going to admit them.” For college students with mental health disabilities, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act ensures that persons with disabilities have equal access to post-secondary education. Colleges are required to make reasonable accommodations for students with both physical and mental disabilities. For more information, look online at www.pacer.org/text/pride/504.htm. By Gloria Harrison, Coordinator, Helpline Young Families Program Update 2004-2005: Part Two
Second of a two-part series. In the previous edition of Clippings , I updated you on our program goals pertaining to the workshops we offer. This month I want to focus on our Young Family Peer Support Program. The purpose of this program is to offer support, education and advocacy to young families at the local level. We currently have this level of local support in the western and central areas of the state. We owe a debt of gratitude to Diane Weaver for her tireless efforts in the west. She is presently “semi-retired” from this role, and in her place we are fortunate to have Christy Goforth in Henderson County and Nancy Pace in Buncombe County. Christy and Nancy lead local support groups and offer phone support to young families. In the central part of our state, Sue Bennett serves as the Young Family contact in Winston-Salem, venturing often into surrounding counties to advocate for children in the local school system. She leads a support group that meets monthly and is a frequent co-presenter for our workshops. Nearby in Greensboro, Kim Friedle serves as Guildford County’s Young Family contact. Kim offers phone support to families and is frequently contacted by teachers for information and resources. In the Sandhills, Colleen Russell assists young families in Moore and Hoke Counties and focuses on educating professionals who work with children. All Young Family advocates possess a strong commitment to helping young families. NAMI North Carolina is proud of the service these advocates provide. By Linda Swann, Director, Young Families Program Family-to-Family: Training for NAMI-NC Support Group Leaders Thanks to the Family-to-Family Teachers in these NAMI affiliates, 15 Family-to-Family courses are on-going in communities across the state! NAMI Wilmington Now is the time for affiliates to plan their Family-to-Family courses for 2005! If your affiliate needs certified teachers, consider recommending qualified individuals to attend the training to become certified Family-to-Family teachers. To register individuals for the teacher certification, affiliate leaders may call Phyllis Kennedy, Director, Family-to-Family, at the NAMI-NC office (919-788-0801). Please have the names and contact information of the people your affiliate recommends to become certified to teach the course. The next training for teachers/facilitators will be held on January 21-23, 2005. By Phyllis Kennedy, Director, Family-to-Family Consumer Corner: North Carolina Teens Participate in NAMI Teen Advisory Group From an early age, Buddy Cumberland, now 17, was an advocate for the mentally ill. In 1998, Buddy went with the NC delegation on a congressional visit. “Even at the age of ten, Buddy spoke out on behalf of people with brain disorders, telling members of Congress that they should ‘make sure people can get the medicines they need’ and ‘build better hospitals ,’” according to Diane Weaver, Buddy’s mother, a longtime NAMI member. Last year, Buddy Cumberland was selected from a nationwide pool of applicants to serve in the newly formed NAMI Teen Advisory Group. Having been diagnosed with depression and anxiety at only six years of age, Buddy was keenly aware of the issues that face young people with mental illness. Over a period of several years, Buddy went from being skipped a year (in 2nd grade, the lack of a challenging environment was blamed for his trouble in school), to being cycled back and forth through therapeutic classrooms, mainstream classrooms, and a program where teachers visited his home. Finally, Buddy’s family decided to home-school him. The combination of home-schooling and treatment for his illness worked: By his sophomore year of high school, Buddy was excelling in school and even attending community college at only 15 years old! Over the past two years, Buddy has continued attending community college in addition to being home schooled. In fact, in his two years at Blue Ridge Community College in Asheville, he has yet to receive a grade lower than an “A.” Currently, Buddy considers himself in recovery, has a wide circle of friends, and is involved in numerous activities in addition to his work with the Teen Advisory Group. Buddy’s younger sister, Ruthie Cumberland, 14, also has struggled with mental illness. Ruthie was diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar disorder when she was eight. However, Ruthie too has managed to thrive and is currently in recovery. Ruthie is involved in many activities including volunteering at the YMCA where she is in the Leaders’ Club, volunteering at an animal shelter, attending Girl Scouts, and singing in her church choir. She also participates in her area NAMI youth group with several of her friends. Ruthie was recently featured in the NAMI Western Carolina exhibit on Bipolar Awareness Day 2004. In September, Ruthie and Buddy attended the NAMI National Convention with their family. Ruthie did not plan on attending the Convention, but was invited to participate in the NAMI Teen Advisory Group and went because “it sounded better than being in the hotel room.” Despite her initial reluctance, Ruthie enjoyed meeting with the teenagers in the Advisory Group and actively participated in all of the Group’s activities. Ruthie said that her favorite part of the Convention was socializing with the other teenagers. Buddy also enjoyed meeting other young people in the Teen Advisory Group. “Knowing there are other people like me was the best part,” said Buddy. “Everyone is always covering it [mental illness] up and it’s very understandable.” In the Advisory Group, Buddy met other teens like him who were not ashamed to share their experiences to help others. By Kalani MacGregor, MPH, Editor, Clippings Affiliate News: Affiliates Host Fall Regional Meetings NAMI North Carolina and local affiliates (NAMI Asheville, NAMI Guilford, and NAMI Wilson) held Fall Regional Meetings in three locations statewide during October. The meetings, full of information and fellowship, were held in large churches. The keynote speaker was Bonnie Schell, MA, Director of Consumer Affairs at Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare. She spoke about the “right to flourish” and proposed the metaphor of human society as a garden with a variety of plants, each with unique needs for nutrition and light, some easy to grow, some difficult. “Accommodations and coping strategies are important, but so is real choice and self determination," said Schell. Dr. John Crowe, a United Methodist minister and a NAMI-NC board member, also spoke about reaching out through the faith community to support individuals and families who are dealing with mental illness. Laurie Coker, NAMI-NC board member and Forsyth County Consumer and Family AdvisoryCommittee (CFAC) member, has been an avid advocate of person-centered services. Her breakout session focused on changing the language of mental health services in order to change the future. Ann Akland, President, NAMI Wake presented on affiliate development. Frank Cleary, EdD, President Elect, NAMI-NC, and Chair of the Public Policy Committee, presented NAMI-NC’s response to the State Plan. In order to be meaningful, the newly created CFACs should provide the consumer members with sufficient information from the state and local programs, training regarding financial issues, and with the ability to monitor and develop additional services. In addition, Cleary stated that it is NAMI-NC’s position that older programs and services be maintained during the transition from public services to community-based private services. Finally, programs and treatments proven to be best practice should continue to be provided. Thanks to all of the individuals who made the Fall Meetings possible. By Gloria Harrison, Coordinator, Helpline Fundraising vs. Development: The Short Term and the Long Haul Although development and fundraising are two words that are often used interchangeably, the words have different meanings in the world of non-profit organizations like NAMI North Carolina. If you’ve ever had children in school, you know about fundraisers, those one-time, labor-intensive projects that raise money for a specific need. When our daughter was in high school, I served as the treasurer for the Band Boosters. We raised money for uniforms, sheet music, instruments, instrument repair, trips, scholarships, and awards, to name a few. We were always thinking about immediate expenses that were not fully covered in the budget for the music department. That was fundraising, the short-term raising of funds for a need. For NAMI North Carolina, fundraising events are part of the larger arena we call development. Development is about building and sustaining relationships. It is the thing we do for the long haul. We are linked to our contributors by mutual need. What NAMI-NC offers is a long history of passionate advocacy on behalf of people who suffer from mental illness, well-established and effective programs that reach all areas of our state, and a large network of members at the grassroots level who are driven by their personal experience. What our contributors offer is the opportunity to make NAMI-NC financially secure for the present and the future. Our generous supporters help us make sure that families now and in the future know what a lifeline NAMI-NC can be. How many times have you found yourself in a conversation at work, at a social event, or standing in line at the grocery store, where the talk makes its way around to a personal struggle with mental illness? How often do you see the need for someone in a high level position to hear your story or find out about NAMI? We are all building those relationships that are important to development. How can NAMI-NC better serve our current contributors and attract new ones? Our Family-to-Family, Young Families, and Helpline programs must continue to grow and reach more people. We must help affiliates build a stronger grassroots capability by supporting them in the ways their members have so specifically expressed at the Fall Regional Meetings. We must be highly visible in the public policy arena where our strong advocacy voice is so important. And we must find new partnerships in the health and medical care community, in the business community, and with foundations that have common interests. You can support us through your gifts to the Annual Fund, the Endowment Funds, or Planned Giving. Designate NAMI-NC on your community or workplace giving campaigns. Encourage businesses, civic groups, and churches to learn more about NAMI-NC. Remember: · Development is not just about raising money, it is about building relationships. · Build a strong organization that does what it does well. · A personal connection to a cause can be the most powerful motivator. · Americans give generously - $241 billion in 2003 (Money, 12/04). · Ordinary people often give extraordinary gifts for a cause that is personally meaningful. · Most people give to charities for a very simple reason: They are asked. · Think about why we seek contributions. We are passionate because we have been there with our family members and friends. · Donors give to people. By Carol C. Matthieu, MEd, Vice President and Development Committee Chair, NAMI North Carolina Board of Directors. Other NAMI-NC Development Committee members who contributed to this article included Becky Faucette, Ken Farrington, Bill Wesse, Dean Fitzpatrick, Beth Garriss Hardy, PhD. Annual Fund 2004-05: Building on Our Past to Support OurFuture The goal for NAMI North Carolina’s Annual Fund 2004-05 is $200,000 by June 30, 2005. Help us get there by sending your tax-deductible contribution today. NAMIWalks in Charlotte and NAMIWalks in the Triad October, 2005 Be there!!! The back page of Clippings will now regularly feature events of interest to NAMI North Carolina members and friends. This page will primarily list upcoming NAMI events, although events of interest to NAMI members may occasionally be listed (space permitting). Thanks to Becky Faucette, member, NAMI-NC Board of Directors, for her idea about featuring upcoming events in a regular location so you don’t miss anything! January 21-23, 2005: Family-to-Family Support Group Facilitator Training. Affiliate leaders can recommend potential facilitators/teachers for the training by calling Phyllis Kennedy, Director, Family-to-Family, at (919) 788-0801. Please have the contact information of the people your affiliate is recommending. April 1-2, 2005: NAMI North Carolina Spring Conference 2005. The Spring Conference will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Raleigh, NC. Registration forms will be sent out early in 2005 but go ahead and mark your calendars! June 18-21, 2005: NAMI National Convention 2005. Next year’s Convention will take place in Austin, Texas. See the cover page to learn more about the NAMI National Convention 2004, held in Washington DC in September. October, 2005: NAMIWalks. The annual 5K walk to raise funds for NAMI and awareness about mental illness will be held in Charlotte and in the Triad Regional Park. To participate in the event or sponsor a walker, contact Ken Farrington at ken_f@bellsouth.net (Triad) or Bill Wesse at namiwalks@nami-charlotte.org (Charlotte). NAMI North Carolina’s Helpline 800-451-9682 (NC only) When you
need: NAMI North Carolina is a grassroots organization providing advocacy, education and support. The mission of NAMI North Carolina is to improve the quality of life for individuals and their families living with the debilitating effects of severe and persistent mental illness. We work to protect the dignity of people living with brain disorders through advocacy, education, and support.
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