NAMI Missoula is the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots organization for people with mental illnesses and their families. Founded in 1979, NAMI has affiliates in every state and in more than 1,100 local communities across the country. They offer help and hope and work to build better lives by providing support, education and a
dvocacy through NAMI, NAMI State Organizations and local NAMI Affiliates. NAMI Missoula supports, educates, and advocates for Montanans with severe mental illnesses and their families. Our affiliates are located in Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Havre, Helena, Kalispell, Livingston, Lewistown, and Missoula. We are a tax-exempt charity and you can find a copy of our most recent Form 990 Tax Statement here. NAMI Montana is carried by our volunteers. We also have two staff members, Matt Kuntz and Quentin Schroeter. Matt is NAMI Montana's Executive Director. Quentin is our peer support and outreach specialist. NAMI Montana accomplishes its mission of supporting, educating, and advocating for Montanans with serious mental illness by:
1. Helping concerned families and friends start up local support, education, and advocacy groups.
2. Educating the public to dispel misperceptions and overcome the stigma associated with mental illness.
3. Advocating for the interests of persons with mental illness, including advocacy for enlightened and effective laws and adequate funding for services.
4. Teaming with mental health service providers and other advocacy organizations to improve service delivery and encourage them to work with families as allies.
5. Promoting a range of support services in the community, including appropriate housing, income maintenance, low-stress employment and training, social networks, medical and rehabilitation services, and assertive case management.
6. Promoting research into the physiological, neurological, biochemical and genetic aspects of severe and persistent mental illness that could point to causes, treatment, and prevention.
