The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 has blossomed into the nation's leading voice on mental health. Today NAMI is an association of more than 500 local affiliates who work in communities to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need. Offered in thousands of communities across the United States through NAMI state organizations and NAMI affiliates, the organization’s education programs ensure hundreds of thousands of families, individuals and educators get the support and information they need. NAMI shapes national public policy for people with mental illness and their families and provides volunteer leaders with the tools, resources and skills necessary to save mental health in all states. 

Gigi R. Crowder is an Oakland native who completed her studies at UC Berkeley. She is currently the executive director of NAMI Contra Costa after having served for nearly 10 years as the ethnic services manager for Alameda County Behavioral Health Services. Crowder dedicates her life to advocating for improving health outcomes and supports for individuals and their families impacted by mental illness. She has championed using community defined approaches such as those found in faith communities. Crowder promotes collaborations with nontraditional partners that allow for inclusion of all to identify solutions to difficult challenges. For this presentation, she will share the mission of NAMI and the current programs in place to educate, advocate, outreach and support those most impacted by mental illness.