| NAMI New Hampshire
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by Sam Hawkins
For our mental health system to properly represent the people it serves, those with lived experience must be at the table. Through collaboration with community partners and state agencies, NAMI NH works hard to amplify the voices of lived experience in all aspects of its work. Indeed, it is these stories – real stories of individuals and families affected by mental illness and suicide – that form the foundation of NAMI New Hampshire’s advocacy efforts throughout the state. When we bring together these voices, we can build a system that truly serves the needs of the community.
In recent months, NAMI NH has worked in close partnership with New Hampshire Hospital to ensure that the perspectives of patients and families are properly represented in the facility’s operations. New Hampshire Hospital, in working to update its security procedures, reached out to NAMI NH to convene multiple group discussions between volunteers and NHH leadership, including Ellen Lapointe, NHH CEO. In these conversations, volunteers with lived experience have been invited to share their perspectives on proposed changes. These conversations showcase the dedicated interest of NHH leadership in doing what’s best for the people they serve.
“Involving those with lived experience in making key organizational decisions brings an authenticity to our work that’s simply irreplaceable. Their invaluable insights help NHH to create practices grounded in reality that truly meets the needs of those they’re meant to serve. This partnership empowers individuals and honors their journey, while keeping patient care and safety at the center of our decision making at NHH.” – Ellen Lapointe, NHH CEO
Through this process, volunteers have been given the crucial opportunity to provide recommendations for the hospital from the perspective of those within it. Historically, for individuals with lived experience, opportunities like these have been few and far between. For this reason, the conversations organized by NHH highlight the mutual respect between the hospital and those it serves and signifies an important shift in the dialogue surrounding mental health services. Not only do these discussions directly influence crucial services and policies impacting those living with a mental illness and their families, but they also serve to elevate the voices of a group of people who too often feel unheard. Through this collaborative effort, our volunteers have seen that when they share their experiences and valuable perspective, they can enact real change.
“I was impressed by how intuitive, direct and helpful the participants were in these meetings. In the beginning there were a lot of acronyms used by the NHH staff which made it difficult to follow, but I found the NHH staff to be open, inquisitive and thankful for the feedback. Volunteers gave very thoughtful, insightful advice that I hope was taken into consideration and used for crafting future policy.” – Ginny Nossiff, NAMI NH Volunteer
NAMI NH is exceedingly grateful to be a part of these crucial conversations and is heartened by the state’s commitment to listen to and hold space for the patients of New Hampshire Hospital and their families. We look forward to future opportunities to partner and the conversations to come. It is only through the ongoing collaboration between the state and advocates, advising through their voices of lived experience, that New Hampshire’s mental health system will experience longstanding positive change.