In addition to supporting the other tiers of the NAMI organization, NAMI maintains a strong presence on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, by educating legislators and policymakers. NAMI staff work tirelessly on many issues involving serious mental illness, including insurance parity, affordable housing, increases in research appropriations, improved work incentives and income assistance, and access to medications, just to name a few. NAMI's advocacy efforts also extend to federal agencies and the White House. The NAMI national office also sponsors the NAMI HelpLine , which offers information to more than 70,000 callers each year. The strength of NAMI is in its grassroots membership, more than 2,000 of whom annually gather for the NAMI National Annual Convention .
Recruitment is the way to ensure a more powerful voice and message.
NAMI does its best to reach out to all people affected by serious mental illnesses, consumers, siblings, spouses, families of young children, people of diverse multicultural and ethnic backgrounds, and mental health professionals. We feel that our programs and advocacy efforts help us to serve and guide our 220,000 members and that together, we will carry out NAMI's mission. MIAW 2000 - NAMI's materials for Mental Illness Awareness Week 2000.