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NAMI Hosting REIMAGINE Week of Action to Advocate for Improvement of Crisis Services
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is hosting a week of advocacy activities through a virtual event called “REIMAGINE: Week of Action to Reimagine Our National Response to People in Crisis.”
The events will take place between November 15 and November 19, 2021. The REIMAGINE Week of Action aims to advocate for the improvement of crisis services leading up to the launch of 988*, a 3-digit number for mental health, substance use, and suicidal crises, in July of 2022.
According to NAMI, “the creation of this national number provides a significant opportunity to begin reimagining our crisis response system. But there is still much work to be done to ensure there is support available when people start calling 988 for help.”
During the week, participants will learn how to impact change on the current crisis response tactics, and how the current response can have a negative effect on communities, families, and individuals. Participants can hear personal stories from speakers with experience in the crisis system, join panel discussions on crisis response, join a 988 Advocacy Intensive with the aim to learn about policy details and advocacy tactics, and contact policymakers to inspire change.
The event will bring together organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association, Mental Health America, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and more.
Psych Congress Network was able to sit down with Dr Margie Balfour who will be co-presenting a session today, Tuesday November 16th, 2021 at 12:35pm EST titled “Deep dive: what does an ideal crisis system look like?” Stay tuned for our upcoming interview where she discusses the implementation of 988*, the warning signs of a mental health crisis, the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on mental health, and the importance of collaboration.
“Participate in conversations exploring key intersections with crisis response — equity and social justice, public safety and first responders, and youth and young adults. Learn about opportunities to advocate on behalf of your communities throughout the week.”
Registration is still open on the NAMI website.
Reference
NAMI announces REIMAGINE: a 988 week of action, Nov 15-19. News Release. National Alliance on Mental Illness. October 10, 2021. Accessed November 15, 2021.
