Published: October 06, 2008 04:18 pm      

NAMI continues its mental health work

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of Cumberland Plateau is a local affiliate of NAMI Tennessee and NAMI National. The local affiliate was chartered in 1992. It was known as PAMI then and the membership core came from Cumberland County Mental Health Association which was disbanded. We now have a membership of 43. The affiliate is operated by non-paid volunteers who are members and have experienced a mental illness in their family or of a loved one.

NAMI of Cumberland Plateau serves as advocates for those with a serious and persistent mental illness by working with local government officials, law enforcement, NAMI Tennessee, and state legislators to bring about better services for the mentally ill.

Our local affiliate provides for families and loved ones of those with serious and persistent mental illness in the following ways:

•Conducts a monthly support group meeting

•Recognizes and supports Crisis Intervention Training to local police officers

•Teaches With Hope in Mind Classes

•Educates members and community members through quarterly workshops highlighting various aspects of mental illness

•Supports the purchase of up-to-date materials on mental illness by the Art Circle Public Library

•Works in coordination with the PREPS Center through their attendance at our meetings and workshops

•Pays for routine and regular dental work for persons with mental illness

•Provides scholarships for persons with mental illness to attend college

•Sponsors a yearly Walk for Hope to bring about an awareness of mental illness

•Publishes a quarterly Newsletter

•NAMI volunteers make themselves available to assist those in need

The organization service 200-300 people per year through the activities listed above and feel even a greater number will be served as a result of our agreement with the Art Circle Library.

Goals could not be achieved without the monetary support of United Fund. We are grateful for their efforts, not only in funding, but through their promotion of our affiliate as they present to various member agencies.

Contact information is: John D. Ranger, president, 707-0283; Irene Blackburn, vice-president, 707-0920; Dick Rathweg, treasurer, 484-2154; and Tess Granberry, secretary, 788-6416.

NAMI of Cumberland Plateau is partially funded by “United Fund of Cumberland County.”