Mental Illness Support, Education and Resources 

From Frank Mixdorf

President NAMI Green County, Inc.

To the Editor:

Founded in Dane County in the 1970’s, NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization providing mental illness education, support, advocacy and public awareness. By “grassroots,” we mean that the NAMI community of care is led by many individuals and family members who have lived mental illness experience and who truly understand the complex and multiple challenges these conditions cause. Today, nationwide, NAMI is an alliance of more than 600 local county affiliates and 48 state organizations who work in communities to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need. Green County is fortunate to have a NAMI affiliate office in Monroe. 

After nearly two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever are experiencing mental health conditions — by some estimates 1 in 3 individuals. Mental illnesses are brain disorders that are biologically based medical problems, just as are diabetes and heart disease. Untreated, they can cause severe disturbances in thinking, feeling and relating. This results in substantially diminished capacity for dealing with the ordinary demands of life. Mental illness can affect persons of any age and occur in any family. They are not caused by bad parenting and not evidence of weakness of character. There is no reason to feel shame or be stigmatized. 

If you or someone you care about is in need of help or you would like to stand with us and join our NAMI Green County community and help others through our many volunteer opportunities, please visit 

namigreencounty.org or contact us at namigc@tds.net or 608-324-4677 (Not a crisis line). You can also visit us on Facebook.

You Are Not Alone. NAMI Green County Can Help. Learn more at namigreencounty.org.