Our Mission:

To improve the services to and the lives of the citizens in the Lehigh Valley who either suffer directly from a serious mental illness or, as family members and caretakers, share the burden of these devastating illnesses.

Serious mental illnesses include brain disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and severe depression. Our mission is accomplished through programs designed to offer support and education to our membership and to advocate for the rights of individuals with a mental illness. We also strive to educate the public about the true nature of mental illnesses and combat the stigma and discrimination often faced by persons with these serious brain diseases.

Our Programs Include:

• Family to Family Education Program
  This program is a free, 12-week comprehensive course for families of persons diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Support groups provide family members with an opportunity to participate in a structured, problem-solving environment providing emotional support and practical help for one another.

• Hand to Hand Education Program
  This is a free, 8-week program geared to families of children and adolescents with mental and behavioral difficulties. Attendees learn about mental illnesses and their treatments, including available medications, as well as how to navigate the mental health systems designed to help youngsters.

• System Improvement
  NAMI strives to improve governmental policies and programs affecting persons with a mental illness. We examine many issues including health insurance parity; managed care; licensing of various health care professionals; and the appropriate use of state mental health facilities in an age of downsizing.

For more information on local programs in our community,
contact NAMI Lehigh Valley at
Phone: (610) 882-2102
Fax: (610) 882-0440
E-mail: info@namipalehighvalley.org