NAMI Minnesota

01/12/2026

A collection of inspiring thoughts to encourage positive reflection and grace while living with bipolar disorder.

Feeling overwhelmed? Discover uplifting quotes about living with bipolar disorder to remind you that you're not alone.

01/12/2026

As we continue working together to expand awareness of the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline, we’re sharing this 988 Fact Sheet. This updated version offers an easy-to-share overview of what 988 is and what people can expect when contacting 988. It also features testimonials from people who have used 988, along with answers to frequently asked questions. Download it here: https://samhsa.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d0780dc94825e65acd61c17dc&id=ccfcf8c26e&e=2774457529

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.

Call or text: 988
Chat: 988lifeline.org

01/11/2026

Join NAMI Minnesota for SuperWeek 2026, February 2–7—a free week of virtual classes and an in-person family event for parents, caregivers, professionals, and anyone supporting children and youth. Sponsored by Dakota County, SuperWeek offers practical tools, expert guidance, and opportunities to connect around youth mental health, all at no cost.

Throughout the week, attend virtual sessions on topics like self-compassion for caregivers, su***de prevention, early warning signs, executive functioning, crisis planning, helping kids cope, and understanding early episode psychosis. Many sessions are designed for professionals and include continuing education opportunities, while others are tailored for families and caregivers.

The week wraps up with Super Saturday on February 7, a free in-person family event in Rosemount focused on “Building Super Strong Mental Health,” with youth-friendly activities, community resources, and space to connect with other families and professionals.

All sessions and events are free and open to the public. Learn more and register: https://namimn.org/superweek2026/

01/11/2026

Researchers at USF Health have discovered a new way opioid receptors can work that may lead to safer pain medications. Their findings show that certain experimental compounds can amplify pain relief without intensifying dangerous side effects like suppressed breathing. This research offers a fresh blueprint for designing opioids that last longer, work better, and pose fewer risks. It also opens doors to safer treatments for other brain disorders.

Researchers at USF Health have discovered a new way opioid receptors can work that may lead to safer pain medications. Their findings show that certain experimental compounds can amplify pain relief without intensifying dangerous side effects like suppressed breathing. This research offers a fresh b...

01/11/2026

Caregivers supporting children and teens living with a mental illness often carry an invisible burden. Parents, family members, educators, and youth-serving professionals frequently describe a constant state of worry, exhaustion, and self-doubt as they try to meet the complex needs of youth. While the focus is naturally on the child, NAMI Minnesota emphasizes that caregiver well-being is not optional — it is essential.

To help support parents, caregivers, and professionals, NAMI Minnesota is offering a free virtual workshop, Self-Compassion for Caregivers: Supporting Yourself While Supporting Youth with Mental Health Challenges, on Monday, February 2, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. The one-hour session will introduce participants to practical, research-backed self-compassion tools designed for real-life caregiving situations — whether in moments of crisis or in the quiet exhaustion that often follows.

The workshop will be led by Amy Noelle, whose work focuses on helping people reduce burnout and build sustainable resilience through accessible, real-world practices.

This class is part of NAMI Minnesota’s SuperWeek, a broader week of free educational offerings focused on mental health, advocacy, and support. More information is available at namimn.org/superweek2026.

NAMI Minnesota encourages caregivers to remember an often-overlooked truth: caring for yourself is not a distraction from caring for young people. It is one of the most important ways to sustain hope, connection, and practical support.

01/10/2026

Join us online for our advocacy training: NAMI Smarts for Advocacy! Participants will work through four modules including how to tell your story, the history of the mental health system, the legislative process, and how to contact your policymaker.

Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
Time: 1:00-5:00 PM
Zoom Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/hr20H7trRdeV-jgQiZjKxQ

01/10/2026

U.S. adults who exercise at least 30 minutes every day or nearly every day are significantly less likely to report experiencing stress than those who don’t exercise. The relationship between exercise and reduced stress is especially strong among women, with those exercising frequently expressing far less stress than women who don’t exercise. The stress gap is much smaller between high- and low-exercise men.

Regular exercise is more closely linked to reduced stress among women than among men and peaks with at least six days of exercise per week.

01/10/2026

Knowing when to call 988 versus 911 can make a critical difference during a crisis. The 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline connects people to trained counselors who provide emotional support, crisis de-escalation, and connections to local mental health resources, often without involving law enforcement. Calling 911 is appropriate for emergencies that involve immediate physical danger and require police, fire, or medical response. Understanding the difference helps ensure people get the right kind of support at the right time. NAMI Minnesota encourages everyone to learn when to use 988 and to share this information so more people know where to turn when they or someone they care about needs help.

01/09/2026

The Federal Administration has abruptly frozen $10 billion in federal funding for social services, cash assistance for low-income families, and child care subsidies in Minnesota and four other states. Thousands of parents and children depend on these child care programs to help them make ends meet, and now their livelihoods are being put at risk. In addition to homelessness and hunger, childhood poverty is linked to lasting cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physical health problems.

Very quickly, hundreds of thousands of families will no longer receive the childcare assistance they need. That is going to have reverberating effects on the programs, on the families themselves, create chaos, and really, really could be absolutely catastrophic.

The funding pause could jeopardize child care and other programs that serve hundreds of thousands of households in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota and New York.

01/09/2026

Minnesota leaders, advocates, and mental health professionals came together to reaffirm the importance of protecting access to gender-affirming care. Recent federal proposals to defund hospitals that provide gender-affirming services for youth threaten not just health care access but the emotional and psychological well-being of transgender and gender-diverse Minnesotans. Gender-affirming care is supported by major medical and mental health organizations because it can significantly improve quality of life and reduce anxiety, depression, and other serious mental health challenges for those it serves. At NAMI Minnesota, we know that when people can access care that affirms their identity, their resilience and mental health outcomes improve. We stand with communities across the state in advocating for health care that supports dignity, respect, and mental wellness for all.

Federal government recently proposed defunding hospitals that provide gender care.

01/09/2026

Stay informed and connected with the latest updates from NAMI Minnesota by downloading our newsletter, now available online. Each issue shares stories, resources, advocacy updates, and upcoming events focused on mental health across our communities. Take a moment to read, learn, and stay engaged with the work moving mental health forward. Download the newsletter today.https://namimn.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/48/2026/01/ADVOCATE-January-April-2026_compressed.pdf

01/08/2026

On sorrowful days, many parents and caregivers are searching for ways to support their children as they hear about violence and traumatic events in the news. We’ve gathered trusted guidance and reputable resources to help you have age-appropriate, supportive conversations that can reduce fear and build a sense of safety. Visit our website to read Talking With Children About Violence in the News: Guidance for Parents and Caregivers and find tools to support your family during difficult times: https://namimn.org/talking-with-children-about-violence-in-the-news-guidance-for-parents-and-caregivers/