Community Outreach
We sponsor educational programs on mental health topics and organize community outreach programs to improve the public’s awareness and understanding of mental health.
Community Information Tables
We set up mental health information tables at local events. They include details about NAMI programs, directions to finding local resources, information about mental health conditions, and friendly NAMI members to answer questions. This is an excellent way to start volunteering for NAMI Central Middlesex. If you would like to suggest a community event suitable for a NAMI table or would like to volunteer to help at a table, please contact us at nami.cmsx@gmail.com.
College and Your Mental Health Panel
Making plans for college while living with a mental health condition? Our annual “College and Your Mental Health” panel program prepares students and parents for transition and success in a college environment for those living with a mental health condition. Our panel includes a student currently balancing college life and mental health challenges and administrators from Middlesex Community College, UMass Lowell, and Boston University. Students, parents/caregivers, and high school counselors are invited to join our annual March webinar.
Topics include:
Mental health-friendly signs to look for when applying to colleges
Disclosing a diagnosis
Life skills to master before the 1st term
Family communication plans
Privacy laws surrounding adult students
Communicating with the support services office
Types of support on campus
Organizing telehealth appointments
Managing a daily college schedule
Planning self care options
Thinking about living arrangements
Alternate paths to a degree
Coping with a medical leave
In an effort to respect safe spaces, this event is not recorded. An online NAMI Mental Health College Guide is available in the button below.
Scarecrow Contest
In the fall, dozens of scarecrows line the fence at Cucurbit Farm in Acton. Each represents an individual or organization willing to “Stand Up to Stigma.” The scarecrows are on display for the month of October. During Halloween weekend, lit jack-o’-lanterns are displayed along the fence by the farm stand for the evening “Glow By” event. The public and local organizations are invited to participate by making a scarecrow, voting for the winner, carving a pumpkin, or donating to NAMI Central Middlesex. Check out the buttons below for additional information and images.
Faith Communities & Mental Health Forum
It’s not uncommon for families and individuals experiencing mental health symptoms to turn to a faith leader for support. Our “Faith Communities & Mental Health Forum” is a free three hour mental health training program for faith community leaders. Our panelists include clergy members with social work training and counseling experience and individuals living with mental health conditions who are active in their faith communities. This forum is offered approximately every other year. For information about the content of the program, see the flyer below from the May 2022 session of this event.
Spring Fling
This is our annual April dinner/dance with invites for area Clubhouse members. The night includes pasta & meatballs, veggies & cookies, music & dancing, and a great sense of community.
Emerson Health Behavioral Health Resource Lists
We teamed up with Emerson Hospital in Concord to develop flyers featuring no fee mental health support programs available in the community. These will be shared by Emerson Hospital staff with those who might benefit. They are also available to the public on the Behavioral Health Resources page of the Emerson Health website: EmersonBehavioralHealth.
The lists include NAMI programs and options offered by other mental health support organizations. The flyers have these themes: Crisis Help & Information, Adult Peer Supports, Teen & Young Adult Supports, Locating Mental Health Care Providers, Family Supports, Criminal Justice Involved, Substance Use Supports, Veterans’ Supports, and New Parents’ Supports. December 2023 updates include information about Mental Health Court Sessions, a new list for teens & young adults, plus additional options for adults and peer crisis support.
Emerson Hospital posted this 988 sign September through December in 2023. NAMI Central Middlesex members, active in the hospital’s Mental Health Working Group, were instrumental in making it happen. We also have members serving on the Emerson Health Community Needs Assessment Committee.
Crisis Cards
In spring 2023 we revamped our Crisis Card to include the new crisis response options available in the state, 988, the Behavioral Health Crisis Line, and the Community Behavioral Health Centers. In an effort to connect with those who have a history of accessing behavioral health crisis care, we made cards available within our affiliate area to hospital inpatient units and emergency departments, area police departments and clinicians who work with police, community social workers, and DMH Clubhouses.
Mystic Valley Regional Behavioral Health Coalition
NAMI Central Middlesex representatives join this group for meetings several times per year with behavioral health stakeholders in the primary care area for Melrose Wakefield hospital.
Speaking to Community Groups
NAMI “In Our Own Voice” and “Sharing Our Stories” are presentations for the general public that promote awareness and understanding of mental health conditions and recovery. For “In Our Own Voice” leaders with lived experience talk openly about what it's like to have a mental health condition. They discuss “what happened,” “what helped,” and “what’s next” in their personal journey. The “Sharing Our Stories” presentation is delivered by two family members of people living with mental health conditions who share their experiences as caregivers or supporters. These programs change attitudes, assumptions and ideas about people with mental health conditions.
The presentations are offered virtually on a regular basis via the NAMI Massachusetts website and can be scheduled for in person presentations as well.
Members of the NAMI Central Middlesex board are available to speak to local community groups about mental health awareness and local NAMI programs. Please contact us at nami.cmsx@gmail.com to arrange for a board speaker or an “In Our Own Voice” or “Sharing Our Stories” presentation.
Programs for Educators and Students
NAMI Massachusetts offers community educations programs suitable for school populations. “Allies for Student Mental Health” is a professional development program designed to help K-12 teachers, parents, and school staff. “Ending the Silence for Students” is a 50-minute mental health awareness program for middle and high school age youth.