HOSA-Future Health Professionals Announces New National Service Project with NAMI

Posted on October 20, 2016

October 20, 2016:  HOSA-Future Health Professionals and the National Alliance on Mental Illness are pleased to announce a partnership which will focus on engaging youth around mental illness. The partnership was selected by delegates, representing more than 9,300 members, who voted at the 2016 International Leadership Conference in Nashville, TN, on June 23, 2016 to select NAMI as their new service project.

The HOSA National Service Project encourages HOSA members to provide support of a national health organization on a local, state and national level.  Local chapters plan activities that include fundraising, community service projects and volunteer hours.  HOSA will work directly with NAMI to help expand mental health education, awareness and support activities that help improve the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.

“HOSA-Future Health Professionals is proud to partner with NAMI with the goal of educating its 225,000 members on mental health issues and, at the same time, raising awareness in 4,500 HOSA chapters, while providing an avenue to take action and make a difference through a NAMI walk or another fundraising effort. HOSA is also appreciative to NAMI for making available additional learning opportunities for HOSA members through the internship and scholarship programs,” said Dr. Jim Koeninger, Executive Director of HOSA.

As part of this exciting partnership, NAMI will provide two great opportunities to HOSA members: an unpaid internship with the national NAMI organization for a HOSA member, as well as a registration scholarship to attend the NAMI Convention.  These opportunities will provide additional avenues for HOSA members to learn more about the millions of people affected by mental health.  Information on the internship and convention scholarship will be shared on the HOSA website when made available.

“Mental health is an important topic for young adults because 1 in 5 are living with a mental health condition,” said Mary Giliberti, CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “NAMI is grateful for the opportunity to engage HOSA, a global student organization, which can help us have impact, together, in raising awareness of mental illness and letting young people know that resources are available and they do not have to walk the journey alone.”

About HOSA-Future Health Professionals

HOSA-Future Health Professionals is a global student organization that provides a unique program of leadership development, technical skills training and recognition exclusively for middle school, secondary, postsecondary and collegiate students enrolled in health and biomedical sciences.  Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, HOSA enhances the delivery of compassionate, quality health services to meet the needs of the health industry.  For more information, go to hosa.org.