NAMI Mass Launches Revamped Support Service
NAMI Mass Launches Revamped Support Service
COMPASS will guide people through the complex mental health system to find appropriate services
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2015
Boston, MA – Mental illness affects one in five people. Now, NAMI Mass, the state chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is launching a new support structure designed to help people and their families navigate the complexities of the mental health system in Massachusetts.
NAMI COMPASS is the new name for the organization’s revamped helpline. With the support of grants from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundationand the Department of Mental Health, NAMI Mass has overhauled its helpline – leveraging the latest technology – to provide individuals and families vital assistance finding the right mental health resources. Calls are answered by trained “navigators” who will provide personalized information on:
- Peer & family support
- Housing
- Employment
- Insurance
- Discharge rights
- Police & legal system
- Substance use treatment
- NAMI education programs
“People calling into NAMI COMPASS will speak to a live person, who has real-life experience dealing with mental illness. These volunteers have been trained and are ready to provide support in a setting that is safe and confidential,” said Laurie Martinelli, executive director of NAMI Mass.
State Representative Ruth B. Balser (12th Middlesex District), who has made mental health public policy a top priority of her legislative agenda, says the kind of person-to-person assistance NAMI COMPASS will provide is invaluable.
“The NAMI Mass COMPASS provides an essential service—answering questions about mental health services, employment, housing and the criminal justice system. I will be sure to let my constituents know about the NAMI Mass COMPASSand I hope others will pass on this information too.”
People can contact COMPASS by phone: 617-704-NAMI (6264), or by email: .
Media Contact:
Matt Ellis
Ellis Strategies, Inc.
| 617-278-6560
About the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts (NAMI Mass)
Founded in 1982, NAMI Mass is a nonprofit, grassroots education, support and advocacy organization. It is the state’s voice on mental illness, with 21 local chapters and more than 2,000 members. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for people with mental health challenges and their families by educating the public; fighting stigma, discrimination and stereotypes; and promoting recovery. To that end, the organization offers free, peer-led programs that provide resources, insights, coping skills and genuine support. NAMI Mass has been chosen by the National Alliance on Mental Illness as the Outstanding State Organization for 2015.
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