Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and NAMI Collaborate to Promote Mental Health Awareness

Arlington, Va. — The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has joined forces with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority , Incorporated (DST), to promote mental health awareness and reduce stigma in the Black/African ancestry community.

DST, a sisterhood of over 350,000 initiated Black college-educated women, and NAMI are partnering through June 2025 to provide resources, training and support for the Sorority’s 1000 chapters. This partnership is aligned with NAMI’s Sharing Hope and FaithNet initiatives and allows DST to directly impact individual and community care.

“The goal of this partnership is to reach more people in the Black/African Ancestry community and provide access to early support, as well as the best possible care, for people without fear or judgment,” said NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison Jr. “Through this partnership with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. we hope to break down barriers and offer resources for mental health support. Together, we can create lasting change and empower individuals and families to seek help.”

The partnership includes various initiatives from both organizations. DST chapters will host Sharing Hope Community Conversations, promote NAMI Support Groups, encourage chaplains to attend mental health and suicide prevention trainings, work with NAMI State Organizations and Affiliates to promote mental health awareness, and form or join NAMIWalks teams. DST will identify NAMI as one of its Charitable Partners, seek out potential internships to increase education in underserved communities and collaborate on speaker opportunities, workshops and events.

In turn, NAMI will provide Sharing Hope facilitator training to the Sorority, offer connections to NAMI Support Groups, coordinate national mental health awareness and suicide prevention trainings, and provide monthly Chaplain training under the FaithNet initiative. The two organizations will work closely to develop mental health campaigns, provide data metrics and offer support for national events.

“Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is committed to serving our communities and making a difference. By partnering with NAMI, we can elevate our impact in addressing mental health disparities and bring about real change for our members and the communities we serve and represent,” said Elsie Cooke-Holmes, National President and Chair, National Board of Directors. 

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.