Mission and Values

Established in 1985 by parents of children with mental illness and incorporated as a non-profit in 2006, the work of NAMI Finger Lakes (NAMI FL) is free and peer-led by volunteers with lived experience. NAMI FL’s goals are to: Provide support for families, relatives, and friends of people diagnosed with mental health conditions; Educate about serious mental illnesses; and Advocate for families impacted by mental illness. 

Our Mission

NAMI Finger Lakes is an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  We are a grassroots organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for all individuals and families whose lives are affected by mental illness and co-occurring disorders. NAMI advocates for access to services, treatment, support and research and is steadfast in its commitment to raise awareness and build a community of hope for all those in need.  We offer the kind of understanding and care that only those who have lived the experience of mental illness can provide.

Our Goals

Advocate at the county, state and national levels for non-discriminatory access to quality healthcare, housing , education and employment for people with mental illness.

  • Educate the public about mental illness.

  • Work to eliminate the stigma of mental illness.

  • Advocate for increased funding for research into the causes and treatment of mental illness.

Our Vision

NAMI Finger Lakes envisions a world where all persons affected by mental illness experience resiliency, recovery and wellness, and an improved quality of life. We aim to create a culture of awareness  and acceptance, where open disclosure of a mental illness does not have negative consequences in the community, the schools and in the workplace. We continue to seek better treatment for mental illnesses and to eliminate the stigma associated with them. Our programs are a primary source of assistance to people of all cultural and economic backgrounds.

Our History

What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979, NAMI has blossomed into the nation's leading voice on mental health. Today, we are an association of hundreds of local affiliates, state organizations and volunteers who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need. 

In 1986, Jean Walters of Ithaca founded the Finger Lakes Alliance for the Mentally Ill (now NAMI Finger Lakes). She would invite families to her home with empathy, compassion and warm hugs, to find support for navigating the impact mental illness had on their lives.

In 2006, the organization was incorporated as an affiliate of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and NAMI Finger Lakes became one of 600 affiliates in the nation and 22 in New York State providing education, support and advocacy for the millions of people affected by mental illness. Click on the audio link to hear Jean talk about the history of NAMI Finger Lakes in an interview on with Ben Altman for Talk Tompkins.

Jean Walters passed away peacefully while surrounded by family in 2022. To learn more about her life and NAMI Finger Lakes you can view her obituary here.