NAMI Fresno preparing for 20th annual 'NAMI Walks'

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Manuel Piceno feels blessed to be sitting here today, hoping his story will make an impact.

"I'm living with a mental illness," he sad. "I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, anxiety and PTSD. The diagnosis came after a suicide attempt on January 1, 2022, at 9 pm. Three days later, I regained consciousness and called out for help."

Piceno attended multiple support groups in Fresno County and eventually ended up at NAMI Fresno.

There, he learned the 12 principles of support.

"The first principle is 'We will see the individual first and not the illness.' Imagine if we each saw ourselves first -- you talk about stigma. Sometimes, we have the greatest stigma on ourselves," he said.

NAMI stands for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the largest grassroots mental health organization in the country.

Here in the Valley, NAMI Fresno works every day to end the stigma surrounding mental health through support, education and advocacy.

"We work with a lot of different organizations to really help move mental health forward in our community, also on a state level," says NAMI Fresno Executive Director Dr. Amy Parks. "All of the services we provide are free to the public."

Dr. Parks is proud to see the organization make its mark in the community, getting more people, young and old, to begin talking about mental health.

Many schools in the Valley have created their own student-led NAMI club.

Dr. Parks wants to see all schools, community colleges and universities have one.

Piceno knows first-hand the difference NAMI's services can make in a person's life.

"NAMI is one of our greatest resources here in the county," he said.

NAMI Walks is scheduled for May 4 at Woodward Park.

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