About | NAMI Tulsa

family-looking-family-album-Z3JZNPG_edit

ABOUT NAMI

NAMI Tulsa was formed in 1989 and originally known as TAMI (Tulsa Alliance on Mental Illness). It was a part of OAMI (Oklahoma Association on Mental Illness). After its inception, NAMI Tulsa was faced with many daunting tasks due to massive changes in state funding of mental illness programs.

The following decades brought needed reform to many state agencies after controversial policies proved unworkable. As a result, Eastern State Hospital at Vinita was closed. Shortly thereafter, Parkside Hospital ended their long association with the state mental health agencies. NAMI Tulsa realized the need for a new facility and was instrumental in founding the Tulsa Center for Behavioral Health.

Today, NAMI Tulsa is firmly focused on education, support, advocacy, and training. We are proud, as an organization, to have successfully developed lasting relationships with local, state, and national agencies sharing the vision and mission of working for the betterment of the care of our mentally ill individuals

Volunteer with NAMI Tulsa

WHAT WE DO

Support - Members help each other cope, and get through hard times. They share information and experiences with local services and professionals. A warm circle of friends offers support and hope.

Education - Long term mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and major and manic depression are biochemically caused brain diseases. They are not caused by a poor home environment. They are not the result of character flaws. Scientific research has demonstrated these truths. Public education lags sadly behind. We are changing that, working through TV, radio and the press.

Advocacy - At all three levels National, State and Local, we give you a strong voice to help change services in your city and state for the better, and to effect changes in national laws that affect your family.

Research - NAMI is supportive of research that will lead to novel and effective treatments for people with mental illness. This support includes ongoing advocacy for research that will improve the lives of individuals and their families. It also includes informing people of ongoing research on various therapies, including clinical trials for new medications.

We do not provide clinical care, nor are we a licensed psychiatric facility. We do seek to assist individuals and families in finding the professional help they need. We do not charge people for the these or any of our community services.

Mental Illness is not your fault.
If you have a mental illness, you are not alone.

One in five adult, Americans will have a mental illness during their lifetime that is severe enough to require treatment. Many more have problems that prevent them from enjoying their lives. We are here to stand by you as you find help, hope, and recovery.

Fortunately, effective treatments are now available for many mental illnesses.

Unfortunately, most people do not seek help.
Please seek help. You are not alone.