The eleventh class brings facts about stigma, public misinformation, and social services failures surrounding mental illness. The group will learn more about NAMI's Campaign for the Mind of America and other campaigns to fight discrimination and demand better services for people with brain disorders. A class discussion will focus on the real need for advocacy and what each individual can do to improve public treatment of mental illness in each community.

Breaking the Silence

• Definition of advocacy
• Discrimination

The Power of Stigma to Defeat Good Intentions

• Stigma
• Battling prejudice
• Class discussion: Our experiences of stigma

Why Do We Advocate? Why Must We Still "Fight For" Care, Compassion and Respect for People with Brain Disorders?

• Progress and regress
• Jails as primary mental institutions
• Facts about systemic neglect
• Facts about public misconceptions about serious mental illness
• Class discussion

NAMI's Campaign for the Mind of America

• Messages of the campaign
• Overview of the organizational institutes created to campaign for these issues
• Class discussion: Our experiences of stigma

Special Presentation or Activity

• To be announced

Organizing a Family-to-Family Community Outreach Committee Project

• Help us reach out to other families who need this course
• Video

Closing