Nami Orange County

The mission of the NAMI Orange County (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is to provide emotional support, education, and resources to individuals and families affected by mental illness. In collaboration with the entire community, we work to eliminate stigma and advocate for a life of quality and dignity for all persons affected by mental illness.

NAMI Orange County (NAMI-OC) was founded in 1980 by family members interested in creating a national curriculum for our signature Family-to-Family course. NAMI-OC's founding members saw the wealth of resources and programs for individuals living with a mental health diagnosis, but could not find services for the family members that love and support them. Knowing that other community members could benefit from an organization made by families, for families, they formed NAMI-OC and became an official affiliate of NAMI National and NAMI California in 1981. Now, nearly 45 years later, we offer numerous signature psycho-educational courses, presentations, support groups, and programs county-wide targeted towards both families and their loved ones living with a diagnosis. All targeted courses and presentations are at no-cost and are facilitated by NAMI-trained teachers, staff, and volunteers whose one common prerequisite is “lived experience” with mental illness.
NAMI-OC’s tireless 40+ year commitment to providing effective Family-and-Peer support in the County is further motivated by our understanding of the great, unmet needs of hundreds of thousands of people living in OC today. We match awareness of that demand with the confidence that each life impacted makes an important difference for that individual and their loved ones.

NAMI-OC has an established history of working alongside English and Spanish speaking Adults, and Teens in grades 7-12. In recent years, we have also grown our outreach to the K-6, Transitional Aged Youth (TAY), LGBTQIA+, Older Adult populations and our increasing diverse OC community though the following programs and others:

- Transitional Aged Youth (TAY) individuals will learn more about community resources and the importance of self-care through our StoryTelling conferences and Wellness Webinars.

-LGBTQIA+ individuals are embraced through "LOUD AND PROUD Music & Art Festival", where LGBTQIA+ youth are connected with resources and learn to care for their mental health.

-Older Adult populations are met with handwritten letters of encouragement and hope through "LOOP-Letters of Optimism Project"

- Cultural awareness and inclusivity are addressed through shared experience in our CARE Together program which strives to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health topics related to diverse communities.

Moving forward, NAMI-OC strives to see further growth across K-6, TAY, LGBTQIA+, and Older Adult consumers, while maintaining relationships with our Teen, Adult, and Spanish speaking populations. We aim to continue to secure funding for translation and implementation of our signature classes and support groups to Vietnamese, Korean, and/or Farsi. NAMI-OC is committed to the diverse demographic make-up of Orange County, and will continue our pursuit to be a representative community partner.

Our greatest current need continues to be private and corporate donor engagement to afford us the ability to meet the growing need for mental health services in Orange County. Significant elements in meeting this demand are the need to:

- develop new and innovative programs to best serve our community's increasingly diverse population
- develop new and innovative programs for elementary school-aged children
- continually improve and update our existing programs, including those for teens/young adults and senior citizens
- reach more individuals by increasing the number of classes offered and adding various classes in additional languages

All of the elements listed above can be achieved, but we will need a significant increase in private and corporate funding to hire and train the staff required to oversee and administer this growth.

Orange County, California

Hello! My name is Amy Durham, and I am the CEO of NAMI Orange County (NAMI-OC). We provide signature education programs that includes courses for Family Members, Peers (individuals with a mental health diagnosis), and Healthcare Providers. All NAMI facilitators, teachers, and presenters have been affected by mental illness in some capacity; Lived experience truly differentiates our services from those of other organizations. Drawing from lived experience and evidence based practices, NAMI-OC programs stand apart from anything else offered in this community.

NAMI-OC has several programs that were created or adopted to better serve our community. We have programs that have been designed for elementary-age children to seniors, and underserved populations to corporations. These unique offerings have set us apart from other NAMI affiliates, and has enabled us to expand our reach in Orange County. Additionally, NAMI Orange County's voice has been a founding member of the Be Well movement, where public and private sectors are working together to reform our mental health care system in Orange County.

Whether you need immediate support, longer term care or up-to-date mental health information, NAMI Orange County is here to serve. We hope that you or your family will never need to utilize our services but we will be ready to help wherever we can to support our valued community members on their mental health journey.

Many years ago, I came into NAMI trying to find help for my brother who lived for 50 years with a mental health diagnosis.

As a high school student, my brother had an IQ of about 160 and had huge dreams for his future. Suddenly, at around 18, my brother began to behave "strangely", my family was struggling to understand what was going on. After some time, my brother was finally given his diagnosis: Schizoaffective Disorder. This news was earth-shattering to him, me, and our entire family. Coming to terms with his diagnosis was a difficult process for my brother; He consistently refused treatment. Due to his noncompliance, he was psychiatrically hospitalized numerous times, spent time in jail, and spent time homeless. As we grew older, I took on the role of his primary caregiver- This is when I stumbled into NAMI and began to educate myself about serious mental illness.

It's beautiful to see that NAMI is full of families just like mine. We understand that mental illness is a biological disorder of the brain, so there is no need for blame, shame, or stigma. NAMI-OC is dedicated towards developing an understanding of mental illness and behavior disorders while supporting our community in-need. We prioritize self-care, compassion, and community for the Family Members and Individuals living with mental illness.

Even though approximately 25% of Americans will have a diagnosable mental illness this year, many people will avoid reaching out for help due to stigma. Stigma has been identified as the number one reason why people do not seek mental health treatment. By teaching our participants that mental illness is just as serious as physical illness, we start to "stomp out stigma". In every class, program, and event we host, stomping out stigma is a major theme. We may have a long way to go, but we are dedicated to our community and look forward to creating a happier, healthier Orange County.