AACT-NOW!(African American Community Takes New Outreach Worldwide) is an exciting initiative of NAMI NEW JERSEY to connect with NJ's African-American families affected by mental illness, mental health consumers, the faith community and mental health professionals to provide culturally competent support, education and advocacy. AACT-NOW! goals are to dispel the misconceptions surrounding mental illness and to create an anti-stigma environment for those seeking treatment.

African American Conference on Mental Health Successfully Held
October 24, 2009

NAMI NEW JERSEY successfully presented an African American Conference on Mental Health on Saturday, October 24, 2009
at Rutgers University Labor Education Center in New Brunswick. Over 150 African American mental health professionals and families attended the conference.

Click to download the Keynote Presentation, "Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in the African American Communities", by King Davis, Ph.D., Professor and Robert Lee Sutherland Chair in Mental Health and Social Policy, the University of Texus at Austin School of Social Work.

Program Activities

 Formation of an African American Outreach Advisory Group composed of individuals from the African American Community including consumers, family members, clergy, mental health and other professionals.
 Development of AACT-NOW! - an initiative established to help African American families and those suffering from mental illness to promote awareness, provide resources and act as a support system.
 Community Outreach and Networking (fairs, conferences, festivals, etc.)
 Development of partnerships and jointly sponsored events.

Support Groups

 YS Youth Society - Y.S. “Youth Society” is a social group that offers recreational activities to young adults aged 18 to 30 who have mental health issues. This group evolved to provide opportunities for social interaction. Activities which are selected by its members include movies, picnics, pizza parties theatrical and sports events, etc. Transportation will be provided by the participants and their families. The activities of this group are recreational, but beyond that Y.S. is a place where you will find acceptance and friendship. For more information about this group, contact Winifred at 609-265-0746 or societyofyouth@yahoo.com.
 

Out of the Darkness Community Walk

On Sunday, October 5, 2008, members from the AACT-NOW! program walked at the 5th annual Central Jersey-New Brunswick Out of the Darkness Community Walk on the picturesque grounds of Buccleuch Park, located in New Brunswick, NJ, to help erase the stigma surrounding suicide and its causes.

Proceeds from the Out of the Darkness Walks, which are held nationwide, benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in its mission to understand and prevent suicide through research and education.