Mental health peer support program - nami chicago is a 501C3 nonprofit organization and one of the largest, most active affiliates of the national alliance on mental illness

Since 1979, we have fought for families and individuals impacted by mental health conditions through promoting community wellness, breaking down barriers to mental health care, and providing support and expertise for families, professionals, and individuals in chicago and beyond. Nami chicago is a local leader in peer support and recovery programming. We employ the peer leadership of individuals living with mental health conditions and substance use disorders, as well as family members and loved ones, who have experience supporting a loved one's mental health journey. At nami chicago, peer leadership is central to all that we do. A cohort of our peer leaders work on the colbert consent decree program in the state of illinois, supporting individuals transitioning from psychiatric nursing homes into independent living. We also organize peer-led recovery support groups for individuals and families, which we are currently offering via zoom conference and select in-person opportunities. Peers teach recovery education at nami chicago using the wrap (wellness recovery action plan) model and provide coaching and support to people who call our mental health helpline. Peers also play a central role in our training and education programming, sharing their recovery stories and facilitating education modules. In the last two years, nami chicago has built out a peer training program to help develop a larger peer workforce and expand our peer programming. We have utilized consultants and train-the-trainer programming to build own own best-practice model. As nami chicago begins to train more peers, we are poised to then employ them as interns and staff and expand the family and individual peer support options we offer to the community. Nami chicago will also prioritize engagement in communities with high rates of uninsured or underinsured individuals, high rates of trauma and risk factors, and significant barriers to accessing mental health care outside of the crisis system. Nami chicago is working to amplify the amount of individual and family recovery programming available in chicago through building out our one-on-one peer coaching programing in the community - this program can provide mental wellness support to some of the hardest to reach populations because of the unique way IT breaks down power dynamics and barriers of understanding. This expansion will also allow US to staff individuals and family peers on our telephonic helpline 7 days a week. Peers will be able to begin relationships with individuals in need of support over the phone, and then transition them into in-person support in the community when needed. This will add critical additional depth to our helpline program and allow US to provide more comprehensive support. Expanding this program will have system-wide implications - nami chicago will increase the number of individuals living with mental health conditions who are able to find paid work in the mental health space in chicago. This will increase the number of mental health professionals available to provide support in a difficult time and improve the diversity and cultural competency of the peer workforce.