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The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) has initiated a training course specifically geared towards aiding mental health consumers in their recovery from mental illness, with added emphasis on education and empowerment.

This training course, called "Peer To Peer," has already been introduced in 4 western states with great success. It is scheduled to begin in New York, with a course to start in Manhattan towards the latter part of September. The course will be 9 weeks in length, and the class will meet once a week for two hours, with the focus on different topics from one week to the next. The key to the "Peer To Peer" course is in its' name. These courses are all taught by a three person team comprised solely of mental health consumers, not mental health "professionals." Each of the three teachers have themselves suffered from mental illness and are successfully fighting their illnesses to the point that each is living a full and productive life. In addition, all teachers (or "mentors" as called in the course literature) have gone through an extensive 3 day training period.

Just a few of the topics to be covered in the span of the course are: relapse prevention, stigma, all classifications of mental illness, such as: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, etc., coping strategies, decision making, empowerment, and advocacy, as well as many, many others.

It is hoped that after the 9 week course has concluded the students will continue to meet on their own in a mutual support group. There is no cost to enroll or take the "Peer To Peer" training course, but a screening process is necessary for the following reasons:

1) Space is limited, so it is important that the students taking the course are the ones who will be receiving the most benefit from it.

2) It is also important that the students taking the course are serious about making the commitment for the full 9 weeks.

3) Lastly, it is important that only mental health consumers take this course. This course is not for family members, friends or mental health consumers.

If people are interested in Peer to Peer, they should call the Helpline at 212-684-3264, and sign up on the wait list. One of the facilitators will call them as the class date gets closer.