NAMI Homefront was developed to meet the unique needs of families of service members and veterans with mental health issues. The NAMI Homefront program is a six-session family education program, taught by trained family members of veterans living with conditions such as depression, anxiety, anger issues, substance abuse and PTSD.   NAMI Homefront classes are available 4 times a year as an online course from the NAMI National organization.

In 2000, to address the emotional toll of loving a service member or veteran with mental health issues and the impact those symptoms can have on everyone around them, NAMI began offering the evidence-based NAMI Family-to-Family education class in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities around the country.  This was so successful that NAMI subsequently developed the NAMI Homefront program, an adaptation of Family-to-Family geared towards the issues faced by family members of service members and veterans with a mental health condition.  NAMI uses a peer education model to ensure love and respect for both the individual living with the illness and their loved ones.  Accordingly, Homefront is taught for and by veteran family members with lived experience with mental illness. Note: This class is only available online at NAMI Santa Clara County.

Now offered online!

We understand that attending an in-person class can be difficult for busy individuals and families. We now offer NAMI Homefront Online. Online classes meet weekly in a virtual classroom, so participants experience the same level of interaction and learning as traditional in-person classes. You must have access to a laptop, PC or tablet with a stable internet connection to participate. Audio will be via telephone line, a headset is recommended.

To sign up, go to:

NAMI Homefront Registration page.

NAMI Homefront Brochure

What You Should Expect

  • Six 2.5 hour sessions of instructional material, discussions and interactive exercises which may be delivered as a series of consecutive weekly classes, or twice per week on consecutive weeks (e.g. twice on Saturday with a break for lunch or Tuesday and Thursday for three consecutive weeks, etc.) to accommodate busy schedules.
  • Designed for loved ones (over age 18) of veterans  or active service members living with mental illness.
  • Information on how to access programs, benefits, and resources for service members and veterans are included in a “General Resources” section of the NAMI Homefront program manual.

What You’ll Gain

Recovery is a journey and there is hope for all people affected by mental illness. This in-person group experience provides the opportunity for mutual support and shared positive impact. You will experience compassion and reinforcement from people who relate to your experiences. Through your participation, you have the opportunity to help others grow.

NAMI Homefront teaches you how to:

  • Manage crises, solve problems and communicate effectively
  • Learn to care for yourself, including managing your stress
  • Develop the confidence and stamina to support your family member with compassion
  • Identify and access federal, state and local services
  • Stay informed on the latest research and information on mental health, including post traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse
  • Understand current treatments, including evidence-based therapies, medications and side effects
  • Navigate the challenges and impact of mental health conditions on the entire family

What People are Saying

You realize that he will never be the same having been through war. I learned how to treat him more as an adult than as a hurt child.”— Mother of a Veteran after graduating from a NAMI Family-to-Family class held at a VA clinic

We are still friends with everyone that was in the class. There’s always and open ear and an open heart and a shoulder to cry on if you need it.” — Father of a Veteran after graduating from a NAMI Family-to-Family class held at a VA hospital

To Sign Up for NAMI Homefront:

NAMI Homefront is currently available as an online course from the NAMI National organization, offered in the winter, spring, summer and autumn.  To register, go to the NAMI Homefront.  Complete the form at the bottom of the page to ‘subscribe’ for more information and/or to find out more about the registration process.  * Note:  If you are unable to register on this page, it is likely because classes for the quarter have started and are closed to new attendees.  Check back in a couple of months to see if registration has re-opened for a new class.