NAMI Louisville Provider Training

Summary of NAMI Provider Education Program

The NAMI Provider Education Program is a nationally recognized educational initiative created by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). It is designed specifically for professionals who work with individuals experiencing mental health conditions. This includes healthcare providers, mental health professionals, social workers, public safety personnel, and other service providers.

Purpose:

To enhance understanding of mental illness from the perspective of individuals and families living with these conditions, and to improve collaborative relationships between providers and those they serve.

Key Features:

• Taught by a team of three trained volunteers: one family member, an individual living with mental illness, and one mental health professional.

• Emphasizes recovery-focused care and the importance of empathy and respect in professional-client relationships.

• Focuses on real-world experience, offering insightful stories and lived experiences of both individuals and families.

• Promotes a bio-psycho-social model of understanding mental illness.

Structure:

• Typically offered as a 15-hour course divided into five sessions.

• Covers topics such as:

  • The lived experience of mental illness

  • Communication skills

  • Treatment and recovery

  • Impact on families

  • Stigma and cultural perspectives

Benefits:

• Improves provider empathy and communication skills

• Encourages collaborative treatment planning

• Builds awareness of systemic challenges in mental health care

• Supports integrated care approaches