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NAMI Clackamas outlines free peer-support classes and jail-based programs for Mental Health Awareness Month
Summary
Gary Marshke of NAMI Clackamas told council the organization offers free peer-to-peer classes, family education, Spanish-language support groups, jail-based programming and post-release peer support; he emphasized stigma reduction through education.
At the council meeting, Gary Marshke, outreach and development manager for NAMI Clackamas, presented programs the nonprofit provides in Clackamas County during Mental Health Awareness Month.
Marshke described three main classes (peer-to-peer for people with lived experience, Family-to-Family, and NAMI Basics for parents of young children), a range of weekly and monthly support groups (including Spanish-language groups), and jail-based cohorts and post-release support. "The solution to stigma is education and peer support," Marshke said, and emphasized all services he described are available without charge—no diagnosis, referral, or insurance required.
Marshke also spoke about volunteer-driven program delivery, fundraising events, and ongoing community partnerships. Council members welcomed NAMI’s participation in homelessness and related round-table discussions and thanked the organization for re-establishing jail programming and for expanding post-release supports.
NAMI invited council and staff to collaborate on outreach and to promote volunteer opportunities; Marshke left materials and encouraged the council to help publicize classes and supports to residents.
