Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Training is a 5-day course designed to train Law Enforcement Officers on how to interact with people with a mental illness. On the 4th and 5th days of this training, NAMI Charleston Area volunteers share their stories of lived experience with mental illness, and participate in role play with law enforcement and other first responders.

In over 2,700 communities nationwide, CIT programs create connections between law enforcement, mental health providers, hospital emergency services and individuals with mental illness and their families. Through collaborative community partnerships and intensive training, CIT improves communication, identifies mental health resources for those in crisis, and ensures officer and community safety. For more information on the impact of CIT Training, click the button bellow.

If you would like to share your story of lived experience with mental illness, or if you have any questions about CIT and what we do to help with the training, please call/text 843-284-3091 or email info@namicharlestonarea.org

Lack of information and misconceptions surrounding mental health issues prevent many members of the African American community from getting the help and support they need. NAMI Sharing Hope is an hour-long presentation that can help increase mental health awareness in African American communities by addressing a number of important topics:

• The signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression

• How to talk about mental health and decrease stigma

• An overview of recovery and how it’s possible

• The types of mental health services and supports available, including NAMI education and support programs

If you would like to host or attend a NAMI Sharing Hope presentation, please call/text 843-284-3091 or email info@namicharlestonarea.org

NAMI Ending the Silence is an in-school presentation designed to teach middle and high school students about the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions, how to recognize the early warning signs, and the importance of acknowledging those warning signs.

The presentation includes two leaders: one who shares an informative presentation and a young adult with a mental health condition who shares their journey of recovery. Audience members can ask questions and gain understanding of an often-misunderstood topic. For more information on the benefits of this presentation, click the button bellow.

If you would like to host a NAMI Ending the Silence presentation at your school, please call 843-284-3091 or send an email to info@namicharlestonarea.org.

NAMI In Our Own Voice is a presentation designed for the general public to promote awareness of mental illness and the possibility of recovery. These free, 40-, 60- or 90-minute presentations provide a personal perspective of mental health conditions, as leaders with lived experience talk openly about what it’s like to have a mental health condition. For more information on the benefits of this presentation click the button bellow.

If you would like to host or attend a NAMI In Our Own Voice presentation, please call/text 843-284-3091 or email info@namicharlestonarea.org.