Custom «National Alliance on Mental Illness» Essay Paper Sample

The National Alliance on Mental Illness organization does operate in three levels namely at the local, state and national levels where each level of organization provides information, education, support and advocacy to the mentally ill. The national office does give direction to the entire organization while the local and state levels do work on issues that affect their community and the respective state. NAMI has a national Board of Directors for strategic guidance that is assisted by the NAMI advisory council divided into; the consumer council, state presidents' council, veterans' committee and the executive directors' council. NAMI is established as a non-profit organization. NAMI has a culture of listening session with its affiliates and this has proved to be important step in embracing and empowering its leaders and members from different communities who share views and ideas of mental health issues. NAMI's strength is found in its grassroots membership of more than 2,000 members and its recruitment drive reaching out to all people affected by mental illness and fulfill their promise of being the 'nations voice on mental illness'(nami, National Alliance on Mental Illness)

NAMI has more than 1,200 local affiliates in all the 50 American states. They give support and public education efforts to educate America about mental illness and offer resources to those in need. They do provide educational and support programs to help the consumers attain skills for living with the disease and do engage the community in support networks. Through NAMIwalks, where 80 cities are involved and in which more than 500, 000 people walk to promote hope and recovery. NAMI now is a recognized voice of reason on mental illness. Because of its fight for public policy, NAMI has raised its bar on mental illness care and treatment as well as in research.

NAMI has a national board of directors elected by NAMI members to provide strategic guidance to help it fulfill its mandate. The board governs the organization, and with input from the members they make policy to govern NAMI. This is the managerial grid put forward by Blake & McCanse and Hersey & Blanchard's situational leadership. NAMI has a 2007-2010 to help them chart their course from good to great. They are dedicating themselves to growing in number and strength and this they plan by including all each other (nami, National Alliance on Mental Illness).