NAMIWalks and NAMI on Campus Club
College of Social Sciences, Colorado Campus
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. NAMIWalks is a 5K event that raises awareness and funds for NAMI organizations across the country. There are more than 80 NAMIWalks scheduled in 2017. This year, more than 50 thousand people in more than 80 communities, across the nation, will join NAMI and walk together to raise awareness of mental illness and raise funds for local, regional and state NAMI organizations. Each NAMIWalks event brings together people of all ages and fitness levels for a fun 5K walk event. Those who are unable to walk participate as a volunteer or “virtual walker.”
The Colorado campus and the NAMI on Campus student club will be walking in NAMIWalks for the third year in a row, on Saturday, May 20, 2017. So far, the 2017 UoPX team includes clinical and school counseling students, Colorado staff members; Dr. Jean Miller, CCC, Dr. Kent Blumberg, DAA, Dr. Lauren Young, FT Counseling Faculty, and Dr. Sharon Hastings, Clinical Director. Previous years walk teams have included students, faculty, staff, friends and family members, and community partners. This year, the NAMIWalks team is led NAMI on Campus officers, President Tami Romano, and Vice President Delia Berinde, both of whom are clinical mental health counseling graduate students.
NAMI on Campus clubs are student-led, student-run mental health organizations on college campuses that raise mental health awareness, educate the campus, advocate for improved mental health services, and support their peers. NAMI on Campus clubs work to end the stigma that makes it hard for students to talk about mental health and get the help they need. Clubs hold creative meetings, hold innovative awareness events, and offer signature NAMI programs through partnerships with NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates across the nation.
Planning for the Colorado Campus NAMI on Campus club began in 2015 by Dr. Lacey Berumen, CFAL and NAMI National Board Member, and Dr. Jean Miller, Campus College Chair and NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas Affiliate Board Member. The Club became active in September 2016. NAMI on Campus Club Officers are President, Tami Romano, and Vice President, Delia Berinde, both of whom are clinical mental health counseling graduate students. The Faculty Advisor is Dr. Lauren Young, who is a Full-Time Counseling Core Faculty member at the Colorado campus.
The club has been very active at the campus and within the local community. Events have included participation in annual NAMIWalks, active NAMI volunteering, sponsoring local campus activities such as the annual CSS Research and Scholarship Symposium, hosting NAMI Education and Speaker events, involvement in counseling center events and trainings, board and committee involvement with NAMI Arapahoe/Douglas affiliate, and hosting campus mental health support meetings for students, faculty, and staff.
For more information on NAMI on Campus, please contact namioncampus@nami.org for information on how to start a group at your campus, or Dr. Jean Miller, NAMI Board Member and CCC, jean.miller2@phoenix.edu.