NAMI Ask the Expert welcomes Diana Chao, founder of the nonprofit Letters to Strangers (L2S), who will share her personal mental health journey and present actionable strategies for maintaining mental well-being gathered from eight years of interviews and frontline interventions.

NAMI was saddened to hear of the passing of Eleanor Owen, 101, an influential founding member of NAMI whose journey as an advocate began when her son was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin has put the power of evidence behind the NAMI Basics Education Program. NAMI Basics participants reported significant increases in parent engagement and activation, as well as intentions to engage with mental health services.

Created by NAMI’s State Organization NAMI Washington, “Meet Little Monster” was developed in response to the ongoing pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests for racial justice after the murder of George Floyd.

We have an obligation to make a difference, and NAMI calls on policymakers to respond to the mental health crisis with the attention and action it requires.

Mental health is physical health — and our decision to shift our convention to a virtual format is driven by our commitment to prioritizing both, especially given the unique vulnerabilities of those with mental illness regarding COVID-19.

This report shines a spotlight on the disparities that remain for people affected by mental health conditions, despite the tremendous progress we’ve achieved. NAMI will not rest until we can achieve equitable mental health coverage in all forms of health coverage.