Mental health programs expand to serve rural Oregon youth
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Oregon announced Thursday that it has partnered with the Ford Family Foundation to expand two proven mental health education programs serving youth in rural communities in Oregon.
NAMI Oregon is actively seeking young adults in recovery and parents/caregivers of children with mental health symptoms to share their journeys to help others find and navigate help.
Communities in Central Oregon, Douglas County, Klamath County and Southern Oregon will benefit from the expanded programming, with trainings for new volunteers to be held this summer.
NAMI Ending the Silence ( https://www.nami.org/Find-Support/NAMI-Programs/NAMI-Ending-the-Silence ) is a 1-hour presentation for middle and high school students teaching them how to recognize the early warning signs of mental illness and where they or classmates can get help if they exhibit these signs . NAMI Oregon is calling on young adults between the ages of 18-35 in recovery living with mental illness to share their stories as presenters for this program.
NAMI Basics ( https://www.nami.org/Find-Support/NAMI-Programs/NAMI-Basics ) is a 6-week course for parents and other caregivers of children living with mental illness that addresses how to get a proper diagnosis, current treatment options, and how to navigate school and mental health systems to get needed services. NAMI Oregon seeks parents and caregivers who have experience with children who have exhibited symptoms of mental illness before age 13 to become volunteer teachers for this program.
Both programs are offered at no cost to participants. For more information and application information, please visit https://namior.org/programs/for-program-leaders/trainings /.
“NAMI Oregon is very grateful to have the support of the Ford Family Foundation to help expand these critical programs for youth into Oregon’s rural communities,” said Chris Bouneff, Executive Director of NAMI Oregon. “Families shouldn’t have to navigate complex systems on their own, and teens shouldn’t have to struggle in silence. Both of these programs show how parents, caregivers, and friends can connect to get help that’s needed to prevent a crisis.”
About NAMI Oregon
The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Oregon (NAMI Oregon) is a statewide grassroots organization with more than 1,700 members in 15 affiliates; it is one of 50 state organizations that comprise the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). NAMI Oregon is the state’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to education, support and advocacy around mental illness and treatment.
