History of NAMI San Fernando Valley
NAMI-SFV was established by a small group of dedicated volunteers in 1975 as the Central San Fernando Valley Alliance on Mental Illness (AMI), with the aim of helping families and individuals face the challenges of living with mental illness. In July of 2009 our members officially changed our name to NAMI San Fernando Valley and adopted newly revised articles of incorporation and bylaws in accordance with the Nation-wide organization NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), NAMI California and Los Angeles –area affiliates.
This change was envisioned to better align our affiliate with other like-minded organizations. By strengthening our visibility within the community, we are better able to effectively combat stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness. Now as your local NAMI affiliate, we can connect you to more than 210,000 members in over 1,200 affiliate groups in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam.
We are proud of having helped countless families over the years and of having been honored and recognized throughout Los Angeles County. We have earned the respect of, and have been recommended by, the Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and other treatment professionals. We have also received Los Angeles County Supervisor awards for advocacy.
NAMI SFV is a California non-profit corporation designated a tax deductible (501-C-3) charitable organization by the Internal Revenue Service. We continue to honor the service and dedication of our founding members as we work to serve our community with vital programs and services, information and resources, hope and help. We also provide opportunities for families and individuals living with mental illness to advocate for change, and to enjoy social interaction and activities, like our annual NAMI WALK. We encourage you to read our Annual Report including our Treasurer’s Report for specifics of services provided to our community in the past year.
We welcome you and invite you to become involved as a member, volunteer or donor. Contact us by leaving a voice mail message 818-994-6747 or by email. A volunteer will respond as soon as possible.
About NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
Started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979, NAMI has blossomed into the nation's leading voice on mental health. Today, NAMI is an association of hundreds of local affiliates, state organizations and volunteers who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need. NAMI relies on gifts and contributions to support its important work.
NAMI’s Mission
Education. Offered in thousands of communities across America through our NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliates, its education programs ensure hundreds of thousands of families, individuals and educators get the support and information they need.
Advocacy. NAMI shapes the national public policy landscape for people with mental illness and their families and provides grassroots volunteer leaders with the tools, resources and skills necessary to save mental health in all states.
Support. The toll-free NAMI HelpLine allows caring individuals to respond personally to hundreds of thousands of requests each year, providing free referral, information and support—a much-needed lifeline for many.
Outreach. Public awareness events and activities, including Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), NAMIWalks and other efforts, successfully combat stigma and encourage understanding. NAMI works with reporters on a daily basis to make sure our country understands how important mental health is.
For more information visit www.nami.org