Partner Highlight- NAMI Santa Fe

About NAMI Santa Fe

NAMI Santa Fe (the Santa Fe affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness) is a local 501(c)3 organization that provides free education and support programs to both individuals and families who are challenged with mental illness.  They serve primarily Santa Fe County, but due to critical gaps in mental illness awareness and access to services, they’ve expanded to serve Rio Arriba, Los Alamos, Taos, and San Miguel Counties.

They currently have weekly support groups for adult individuals and family members who support them – both in-person and via Zoom.  They also hold education programs: a 10-week class for individuals in recovery and an 8-week class for family members/care givers.  They present a monthly virtual Public Information Talk on Zoom where they feature speakers on various mental health topics.  Those presentations can be accessed on our NAMI Santa Fe YouTube channel.  During the legislative session, they also work with legislators on mental health public policy and initiatives.  They also participate in all county and city advisory groups.

NAMI Santa Fe is always looking to introduce new programs to meet the needs of the community.  They are currently working on launching an initiative called “Compartiendo Esperanza” that engages the Hispanic/Latino community in conversations about mental health.  They are hoping that this initiative will be a segue to offering a family support group in Spanish and a Public Information Talk in Spanish.

Over their 42-year history, NAMI Santa Fe has operated on a marginal budget, supplemented by countless in-kind donations and volunteer hours. Only having 3 part-time paid positions, they rely on volunteers who have the lived experience with mental illness to provide these programs.  Their volunteers are passionate about our mission.  Having been helped by NAMI when they were in crisis, they continue to stay involved to “pay it forward.”

NAMIWalks

Each year in May, they have an event named NAMIWalks, the largest fundraising event held by NAMI affiliates across the country.  NAMIWalks is a way to bring the community together in support of mental health awareness and education. NAMIWalks raises critical funds for free programs while creating a visible show of solidarity for individuals and families affected by mental illness. By walking together, conversations happen, stigma is reduced, and it reminds those struggling that they are not alone.