My first organization is the National Alliance on Mental Illness
(NAMI): https://www.nami.org/About-NAMI/Join-NAMI
NAMI offers three options for membership; $60/yr for a household,
$40/yr for an individual membership, and $5/yr for an individual with
limited financial resources. Membership grants you a subscription to
the NAMI Advocate magazine, discounted national convention rate,
and member-only online content. I am a card-carrying member of
NAMI and have been for several years. This organization provides a
wealth of information, resources, and support. In addition, NAMI
works with legislators to develop and pass mental health-supportive
legislation. Fun fact: during this course and through the development
of our final project; I was in the process of applying & interviewing for
the position I highlighted in my paper, Family Peer Support Specialist.
Sadly, I had to turn the job down as it was a significant pay cut I could
not absorb. Nonetheless, NAMI is doing amazing things to help those
and their families navigate through mental illnesses.
The second organization is the National Organization for Human
Services (NOHS): https://www.nationalhumanservices.org/about-
nohs
NOHS also offers three levels of membership; student at $35/yr, new
professionals at $50/yr, and practitioner & educator/faculty at
$95/yr. Each level of membership has different benefits. For
example, student membership includes access to scholarships, free
resume evaluation, the opportunity to be highlighted on social media,
and access to a human services-specific job board. The new
professional membership includes career development resources as
well as volunteering opportunities. The educators/faculty level
includes leadership opportunities within the organization projects
and committees, lesson planning tools, and networking resources. I
would join this organization as it appears to be all-encompassing
within the realm of human services. I like the opportunities for
networking, job postings, and help for students.
