The Independent
The Southwest Utah chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness is holding its “Hit the Trail for Mental Health, a Casual Hike to Raise Awareness and Funds” on Saturday, May 9, at Pioneer Park on Owen’s Loop Trail in St. George starting at 9 a.m. This is the Southwest Utah chapter of NAMI’s first year for the hike, but they are hoping that it will be successful enough to make it an annual event. The event is free and open to the public; however, tickets will be sold for an opportunity drawing at the event for variety of different items, from pottery to a Fitbit Flex.
NAMI Utah is a grassroots organization that is run completely by volunteers. According to their website, “NAMI’s greatest strength is the dedication of our grassroots leaders and members. We are the families, friends and individuals that serve to strengthen our communities.”
NAMI’s mission is to erase the stigma and raise awareness about mental illness through ongoing prevention and promotion efforts, as well as to improve systems of care by partnering with community agencies, corporations, and other healthcare services. The three cornerstones of their mission are support, education, and advocacy.
NAMI Southwest Utah offers free classes for those who live with mental illness and for their families who want to learn how to support their loved ones in their illness. These classes include Family-to-Family, a weekly class taught by trained family members of individuals living with mental illness; BRIDGES (Building Recovery of Individual Dreams and Goals through Education and Support), with a curriculum built around a philosophy of recovery and that one can live an active and full life even while experiencing psychiatric symptoms; the Connection Support Group for those who are attending the BRIDGES classes; and the Family Support Group, which is facilitated by trained members.
NAMI also supports offenders in the Fifth District Mental Health Court, distributes mental health educational materials, partners with local suicide prevention efforts, and participates in local health and wellness activities. Additionally, NAMI offers Speaker’s Meetings several times a year.
