This session provides an overview of NAMI’s evidence-based peer education and support programs and their implementation in jails and prisons to support people with mental health conditions who are justice-involved. By bringing peer support directly into correctional settings, these programs help close gaps in care for populations often underserved by traditional systems.

Presenters will highlight adaptations of core NAMI programs, including In Our Own Voice (IOOV), Peer-to-Peer, Connections, and Sharing Your Story with Law Enforcement (SYSLE), through partnerships with NAMI State Organizations, Affiliates, and correctional systems. Participants will learn how peer-led education and support can be delivered while maintaining program integrity, centering lived experience, and aligning with facility policies. Challenges such as institutional culture, access restrictions, and staff engagement will be addressed, along with practical strategies for sustaining programming over time.