NAMI open house introduces growth

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Lorain County, or NAMI, opened the doors to its new home at 6125 Broadway Ave. on June 4.

Volunteers of NAMI Lorain County as well as community members and officials were in attendance for the open house and had the first look at the facility since it moved from The Nord Center over a month ago.

Claire Cygan Young, executive director of NAMI, said the organization held the open house to share with the community the new location.

Another purpose of the open house was to let current or future clients know they can walk in and talk to the staff if they need to, Young said.

NAMI gives support to consumers and clients who have been diagnosed or have experienced with mental illness, she said.

The organization helps the families of those living with mental illness to understand what they’re going through and how to properly react to specific issues.

It offers peer support groups from licensed facilitators who are diagnosed with mental illnesses to connect with clients.

There also are family and caregiver support groups as

well as training programs to educate and support those who care for others with mental illness.

The new location is in a building shared with Northern Ohio Billing Specialists, Anesthesia Associates and Clark & Post Architects.

NAMI’s location also is situated across the street from The Nord Center.

Young said the agency used offices in The Nord Center for about four years and treated the center’s clients as well as others in the county.

NAMI began running out of space to provide its services and so, it started looking for a larger location, she

said.

However, NAMI will continue to collaborate with The Nord Center, Young said.

Since NAMI’s move, Young said the new space has been beneficial to the organization’s growth.

She said NAMI is beginning to gain new clients and volunteers.

The atmosphere at the new facility has been pleasant and the volunteers have been great, Young said.

“(Other organizations) in the building have been so supportive, too,” she said.

Chris Kish, president of the NAMI Board, said the board has been enthusiastic

with new ideas to help NAMI’s growth.

Kish said NAMI’s goal is to make mental illness known and to be that resource for the county.

She said NAMI is planning its first fundraiser in August, which is a step in the growth of its name.

Kish said NAMI wants people to understand the concept: “Label Jars not People.”

“If someone has an issue, they should not be labeled,” she said. “We’re all humans and we all deal with these things.”

NAMI focuses on helping improve the stigma around mental illness.

BRIANA CONTRERAS — THE MORNING JOURNAL From left: Volunteer of NAMI Lorain County Art Weiss; NAMI Executive Director Claire Cygan Young; NAMI Board President Chris Kish; administrative assistant to Young, Christine Groomes-Alarcon; and board member Betty J. Weaver pose for a photo at an...