The Southern Arizona chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness recently received a grant of $210,883 from the David & Lura Lovell Foundation to fund an initiative for reducing mental illness stigma in local youth.
This grant enables NAMI of Southern Arizona to expand stigma reduction education and advocacy for youth mental health statewide. The program also works to increase help-seeking for mental issues among youth ages 10 to 24.
“With suicide now the second leading cause of death for ages 10 to 24, we want young people to know they are not alone and there is hope for their future” said H. Clarke Romans, executive director of NAMI Southern Arizona. “Stigma is still the greatest deterrent to seeking help.”
This NAMI funding comes in addition to a recent block grant received from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The block grant is to bring an educational program called “Ending the Silence” to schools in Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz and Pinal Counties.
Since 1983, NAMI has worked to treat mental illness in a professional and medical fashion, stating, “These mental disorders are like any other medical condition; they are common AND treatable.”
Schools and other youth-serving organizations can contact NAMI Southern Arizona to request the 50-minute “Ending the Silence” presentation for their students by calling 622-5582 or emailing NAMIsa@namisa.org.