2018 NAMI Conference to Honor Past, Envision Future

ELKHART LAKE, WI — In 1977 two mothers, each with a son with schizophrenia, met over lunch to discuss the similar challenges they shared raising a child with a serious mental illness.

Today, the organization they started is known as the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and has reached more than 15,000 people in Wisconsin by exhibiting, presenting at or hosting state conferences, regional trainings and local meetings or events.

Over the weekend of April 20-21, the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake will host the NAMI Wisconsin annual conference 2018 themed “Honoring the Past, Envisioning the Future.”

Nate Schorr, Executive Director for NAMI Wisconsin said that patients and healthcare professionals alike will benefit beyond the wide variety of workshops and presenters, with opportunities to connect with the diverse community of people who come to participate.

"Because the conference covers topics ranging from in-depth personal experiences, legislative policies, and even a deep dive into medical treatment options, attendees from all backgrounds will be allowed to sit side by side with people that may have been brought to the conference from a very different perspective," Schorr said.

NAMI founder Nancy Abraham delivers a special address Friday morning, followed by keynote speaker Jasmine Zapata.

Zapata's research and community work focuses on racial disparities in infant mortality, upstream determinants of health, youth resilience, public health approaches to violence prevention, and innovative methods of community engagement and health promotion.

Organizers say the overall purpose of the NAMI Wisconsin Annual Conference 2018 is to bring more than 400 mental health advocates under one roof, while spotlighting topics relevant to mental health and wellness.

The event will host a large variety of audiences, including mental health providers, leaders, social workers, clinicians, government officials, criminal justice partners, consumers, and family members. Mental health advocates from all over the state are welcome to attend.

For More Information: Go to NAMI Wisconsin.org

Submitted Photo NAMI Wisconsin/Mark Ferrell, Published With Permission