Passing the torch at NAMI-BI

The Island Free Library and Kristin Baumann served as the hosts for the annual meeting of the Block Island NAMI chapter on Tuesday morning, June 8.
NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. On Block Island, the organization coordinates access to island resources as well as advocates for, and coordinates off island assistance when appropriate.Started back in 2010, the board that manages the organization on Block Island has grown in scope and size to represent a cross section of the community, with more work to do. Outgoing multi-term President Jim Hinthorn retired from the board last week, turning the gavel and challenges over to Will Young.Both emphasized the need to develop a working five-year strategic plan that will include filling in gaps in care and resources, creating a flexible but written path forward that helps identify any holes.
First on the “to-do list” is collecting and aggregating island data between the organization’s members, the Medical Center, police, EMTs, and social workers both inside the school and in the community. Alison Warfel offered assistance in creating that

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