NAMI DANE COUNTY INC

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND PARTICULARLY DURING MENTAL HEALTH MONTH IN MAY, MINORITY HEALTH MONTH IN JULY, AND MENTAL ILLNESS AWARENESS WEEK IN OCTOBER, NAMI DANE COUNTY LAUNCHED CAMPAIGNS AND HOSTED EVENTS TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND INSPIRE ACTION. SUCH CAMPAIGNS AND EVENTS FOUGHT STIGMA, PROVIDED SUPPORT, EDUCATED THE PUBLIC, AND ADVOCATED FOR EQUAL CARE. OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS ALSO INCLUDED PARTICIPATION IN NAMI NATIONAL CAPITOL HILL DAY IN WASHINGTON D.C. AND NAMI WISCONSIN'S ACTION ON THE SQUARE DAY, WHERE REPRESENTATIVES OF NAMI DANE COUNTY SHARED THEIR PERSONAL STORIES AND EXPERIENCES WITH THE STATE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE OFFICES. AT THE MEETINGS WITH THEIR LEGISLATORS, ATTENDEES DISCUSSED THE IMPORTANCE OF IDENTIFYING MENTAL ILLNESS AS YOUNG AS POSSIBLE, INCREASING ACCESS TO AND IMPACT OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN BLACK/AFRICAN ANCESTRY COMMUNITIES THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, LISTENING SESSION, AND PROGRAMMING. NAMI DANE COUNTY TRAINED 178 LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, FIRST RESPONDERS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS IN CRISIS INTERVENTION. WE PRESENTED AT AND/OR ATTENDED 48 COMMUNITY EVENTS/VENUES. IN ADDITION, 780 HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES RECEIVED OUR PIONEER PUBLICATION, WE HAD 93,000 UNIQUE WEBSITE VISITORS SEEKING RESOURCES AND INFORMATION, 1000+ PARTICIPANTS AT OUR ANNUAL NAMIWALKS AWARENESS EVENT, 2,800 SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS ENGAGING WITH OUR AWARENESS POSTS, 148 IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUPS FOR PEERS AND FAMILIES, AND 3 EIGHT WEEK EDUCATION CLASSES FOR PEER AND FAMILIES. MONEY RAISED THROUGH NAMIWALK AND OTHER FUNDRAISING EFFORTS SUPPORT OUR NO-COST GROUPS, PROGRAMMING, ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION.