September is National Suicide Prevention Month, an annual observance dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, combating stigma and providing resources to prevent suicide. One in five Americans are affected by mental health conditions according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). That’s a statistic NAMI Michigan Executive Director Kevin Fischer knows well.
Fischer, who lost his son to suicide 14 years ago, advocates for eliminating the stigma around mental illness and dispelling myths about suicide, particularly in the African American community. NAMI Michigan offers free education, skills training, and support for individuals with mental illness and their families.
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NAMI was founded in 1979 and has since become the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. What began as support for a small group of families has evolved into a nationwide network of local affiliates, state organizations, and volunteers. Today, the organization provides resources for those managing their own mental health and caregivers supporting others.
Host Stephen Henderson talks with Fischer about the loss of his son and his organization’s advocacy efforts surrounding mental illness and suicide.
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Watch American Black Journal on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Detroit PBS, WTVS-Channel 56.
