First Step Presentations are specifically for assisting in-patient psychiatric patients on their journey of recovery. The program provides hope and recovery information to psychiatric patients to help better prepare them for leaving the hospital setting. First Step volunteers are Peers with mental illnesses that have been trained to tell their personal story and share ideas about relapse prevention and recovery. We believe the program is successful in helping speed a patient’s transition from the hospital to the community and their recovery.

First Step volunteers share the history of NAMI and its goals, the benefits of membership, and explain their reasons for being involved. Plus they cover the support resources available from NAMI Multnomah, including:

• Free classes

• Support groups

• Lending library of books and videos

• Volunteer opportunities

• One-on-one Resource Assistance appointments

• NorthStar clubhouse (supports transitional employment)

This interchange helps reduce the stigma associated with having a mental illness and provides patients with a “First Step” to take when they are released from the hospital. 

To request more information or to book a presentation, please contact Jaime Johnston, our Director of Community Programs, at jjohnston@namimultnomah.org.

Volunteer and become a First Step presenter. Share your story and combat the stigma surrounding mental illness.

You may also be interested in learning about NAMI Support Groups, or NAMI Peer-to-Peer!

For more information about our free programs, or to learn which programs might best fit your needs, please give us a call at 503-228-5692 or send an email to info@namimultnomah.org.