Established as the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI Carroll County, Iowa is dedicated to offering understanding, education, and support to individuals and families affected by mental illness. Our members-people with lived experience, loved ones, advocates, and concerned community members-work together to help reduce stigma, illuminate the biological nature of mental health conditions, and ensure that support, compassion, and accurate information are accessible to everyone. We believe mental illnesses are medical conditions rooted in biology; untreated they can significantly impair thinking, feeling, and relating, but they are not a consequence of poor parenting or personal weakness. Our mission is to strengthen recovery, wellness, and hope across Carroll County through support, education, and advocacy.

Our organization has deep historical roots in the broader NAMI movement, which was founded in Madison, Wisconsin in 1979 by Harriet Shetler and Beverly Young. Both women, having sons diagnosed with schizophrenia, were frustrated by societal blame and the lack of services and respectful treatment for those with mental illness. Their early efforts to connect with others facing similar challenges gave rise to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. In 1997, the organization legally adopted the acronym “NAMI.” Building on that legacy, NAMI Carroll County, Iowa works locally to translate those values into action-offering resources, peer-led learning, support groups, and advocacy to those who need them most.