EDUCATION

NAMI Metro offers a number of education and training opportunities for family members, consumers, providers and the general public. These programs utilize the experience and insights of family members and individuals who have been afflicted with mental illness. These individuals have learned to live or are still learning to live with mental illness in their lives and are dedicated volunteers anxious to help others.

• Families in Action is a 10 Week Education course for family members of persons who are afflicted with a serious mental illness. The course consists of 10 classes once a week, from 7 pm to 9 pm. Class size is limited to a maximum of 25 persons.
  
  The course is facilitated by individuals who are volunteers and also have a family member with serious mental illness. They have been specially trained to teach the course. The course covers the information, concepts, skills and issues needed to understand, support, manage and cope with a family member or friend with serious mental illness. The following provides an outline of the topics covered in each week of the course.  (View Families in Action 2010 Brochure)
  

1. Families Wants and Needs
2. Recovery - Process of Hope
3. Community Resources
4. Signs and Symptoms
5. Medications
6. Stress
7. Communication Skills
8. Dual Diagnosis
9. Dealing with Difficult Symptoms
10. Supporting Recovery

• General Education Meetings are free, open to the general public and are held the fourth Tuesday of each month (except July and December). These educational meetings are held at the Providence Hospital Medical Building. 22250 Providence Drive, Southfield, Michigan (Northeast corner of Providence Drive and Northpark Drive). In addition to information on upcoming events for the tri-county area, items of concern to families of persons with mental illness are presented. The educational speakers include psychiatrists, professionals, and service agencies. The meetings begin at 7:00 pm. Suggestions for future meeting topics and speakers are welcome, call NAMI Metro at 248.348.7197 with your suggestions or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• In Our Own Voice (IOOV) is a NAMI National signature program. It is a recovery education presentation given by trained consumer presenters for other consumers, family members, friends, professionals, and lay audiences. This is a brief, yet comprehensive interactive presentation about mental illness - including video, personal testimony, and discussion - enriches the audience's understanding of how people with these serious disorders cope with the reality of their illnesses while recovering and reclaiming productive lives.

In Our Own Voice (IOOV):  Living with Mental Illnesses is a practical tool to educate and increase awareness about the true nature of brain disorders, commonly known as mental illnesses.  The presentation covers issues frequently faced by those dealing with severe mental illnesses:

• Dark Days
• Acceptance
• Treatment
• Coping Strategies
• Successes, Hopes, and Dreams

A few of the benefits of this program is that it:

• Raises awareness in communities about recovery from mental illness
• Empowers consumers by providing a path to recovery
• Presents the real face of mental illness
• Combats stigma by opening dialogue

For more information or to schedule speakers for your organization, group, school, etc. contact NAMI Metro at 248.348.7197 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• Educational Outreach/Speakers Bureau Our volunteer speakers come with a tremendous amount on experience and insight. We do presentations to civic, religious, education, community and professional groups and are available on request. Please contact NAMI Metro at 248.348.7197 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for information. These may include talks on the nature of metal illness, family experiences, public policy, stigma, the mental health system, etc. We will tailor the presentation to the specific interest, forum or conference.

• Quarterly Printed Newsletter - Our volunteer communications committee produces four printed newsletters a year for our members, winter, spring, summer and fall. These newsletters provide current events, upcoming events and general membership information. It also provides educational information through articles on mental health research, treatment, legislative issues, caregiver tips, etc.

Monthly Electronic news - A minimum or eight E-news issues get electronically mailed to members and friends of NAMI Metro. Those members who do not have internet get printed copies mailed to heir homes. These are educational with the most recent information and mental health news getting in the hands of members monthly.