The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Champlain Valley (NAMI: CV)—located at 14 Healey Avenue, Suite D; Plattsburgh, NY 12901; 518-561-2685—provides free education, advocacy, and support services to all those affected (individuals and families) by brain disorders—including mental illnesses and/or emotional/behavioral disorders—in Clinton, Franklin, and Essex Counties.
NAMI: CV incorporated in 2002 and has been providing educational programs, support groups, and advocacy services for over 16 years to the residents of the rural North Country. All services are free and funded through membership dues, donations, and grants. As a peer-run agency, NAMI: CV is governed by a Board of Directors, a majority of whom are mental health consumers or family members. Our chapter has over 250 members and friends, and we are an affiliate in good standing of NAMI: New York State and NAMI National.
NAMI: CV has less than 3 full-time equivalent staff, including an Executive Director, Advocate/Educator, Family Support Coordinator, TeenScreen Coordinator, and Bookkeeper. We are blessed with many dedicated volunteers.
The NAMI: CV Board of Directors has developed the following principles and beliefs which are used to guide decisions about every program and service that we offer:
- We treat everyone with respect.
- We believe that family members and consumers can advocate and work collaboratively and respectfully with each other, support services, and the community-at-large.
- We believe everyone can recover.
- We believe in empowering individuals to take responsibility for their recovery process.
- We believe that our free services exemplify our empowerment model.
- We are responsive and don’t turn people away.
- We deliver services upon request with the fewest obstacles possible.
- We believe in ending stigma through education, advocacy, and support.
- We value new and continuing members, volunteers, ideas, and programs.
- We believe in educating people about treatment choices, but we do not promote any specific form of treatment including, but not limited to, choice of health care providers, counselors, medications or alternative therapies.
- We believe in an office environment in which people are expected to be engaged in programs, personal research, or volunteer activities.
- We believe in being an independent organization that does not accept money from pharmaceutical companies, or any other funding source if it jeopardizes our advocacy efforts.
