NAMI Washington County supports, educates, and advocates for community members who live with a mental illness as well as their friends and family members.
We are an organization run by volunteers and led by community input.
We are an organization run by volunteers and led by community input.
History
This is one of the oldest affiliate groups in the state, established by Lois Yehlik and Eileen Herbert in the mid-1980s.
What We Do
NAMI Washington County (National Alliance on Mental Illness) responds to the mental health and mental illness concerns specific to Washington County, Minnesota. We support, educate, and advocate for those in our community with a lived experience of a mental illness.
NAMI Washington is a vibrant, active non-profit organization that operates like a board. We welcome broad interest and participation. We are an affiliate of NAMI Minnesota.
Some of the things we do:
NAMI Washington is a vibrant, active non-profit organization that operates like a board. We welcome broad interest and participation. We are an affiliate of NAMI Minnesota.
Some of the things we do:
- Assist planning, attend, and present to County CIT classes
- Assist planning, attend, and present to MN Dept of Corrections CIT classes
- Participate in ‘Local Advisory Council on Mental Health’ for Washington County
- Participate in ‘CONNECT Washington County’ consortium of youth serving agencies
- Participate in ‘Woodbury Thrives’ citizen led health initiative for mental health interests
- Partner with YSB, Make it OK, Suicide Prevention Collaborative and other agencies in public events and ‘tabling opportunities’
- Paint ‘pocket rocks’ and other hopeful message opportunities
- Operate ‘Game Day’ events
- Partner with NAMI St Croix (Wisconsin) for annual picnic event
- Operate Support Groups
- Provide Support for NAMI MN operated classes and presentations in the county
- Participate in Washington County Fair
- Provide material support for ‘crisis preparedness’ with tri-fold cards
- Develop and maintain relationships with Sheriff’s Office, Mobile Crisis, Community Service, Public Health, County Commissioners and administration, etc.
What We Did in 2021
- Cohosted My Ascension screening + panel discussion (October)
- Hosted a booth at suicide prevention 5k (October)
- Hosted a booth at the Washington County Fair
- Painted mental health rocks to be given away at tabling events & placed along trails in the community
- Recruited professional volunteer to direct our outreach and marketing efforts
- Formed Google Group for our volunteers for online communication & collaboration
- Restructured volunteer group to operate like a board
- Created Faith Outreach Committee to concentrate efforts on sharing NAMI programming and resources to area faith communities
- Created Volunteer Hub - a website just for our volunteers
- Participated in virtual Day on the Hill
- Started a virtual Family Support Group so people who attended our in-person support groups can see some familiar, supportive faces. Register here.
