Policy Priorities

Public policy impacts people with mental illness in many ways — from health care to housing to criminalization. Changes in policy can result in improved treatments, increased access to services and better outcomes for people with mental health conditions. NAMI believes that:

• All people with mental health conditions deserve accessible, affordable and comprehensive health care.
• All people with mental health conditions deserve access to supports that promote wellness.
• All people with mental health conditions who are incarcerated deserve access to quality mental health treatment.
• Public policies and practices should promote greater awareness and early identification of mental health conditions.
• Public policies should be guided by credible, evidence-based research.
• Justice system responses to people with mental illness should be minimized while ensuring that any interactions preserve health, well-being and dignity.
• No one should be subject to practices that can cause or worsen mental health symptoms.

Read on to learn more about NAMI’s policy positions.