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NAMI BUFFALO & WESTERN NEW YORK
BUFFALO, NY · EIN 222573563 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE F80Z · Mental Health & Crisis Intervention · Small ($100K-$1M) · namibuffalony.org
revenue
$323K
expenses
$251K
net assets
$1.1M
employees
5
volunteers
55
program ratio
55%
mission · from form 990

NAMI MISSION IS TO EDUCATE, SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE FOR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON ISSUES RELATED TO MENTAL ILLNESS INCLUDING THE ELIMINATION OF STIGMA.

profile · synthesized from sources

NAMI Buffalo & Western New York is a mental health nonprofit providing education, support, and advocacy for individuals and families affected by mental illness. The organization offers crisis intervention resources, support groups, and public education to reduce stigma and improve community understanding of mental health issues. It operates locally in Western New York, with a focus on Erie County.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

CIT-Crisis Case Management Program
Offers short-term crisis case management for individuals with mental illness who frequently interact with law enforcement; focuses on reducing police contact and increasing mental health service linkages
Helpline
Operates a helpline staffed by volunteers who provide empathy, resource linkage, and support to individuals and families navigating mental health challenges
Mobile Outreach Program
Provides community-based mental health intervention for individuals in Erie County experiencing a crisis; aims to divert from emergency rooms through face-to-face assessments and referrals
Mobile Transitional Support Program (MTS)
Provides clinical and peer support to individuals transitioning from inpatient psychiatric stays at Erie County Medical Center and Buffalo Psychiatric Center to outpatient care
Support Groups
Offers peer-led support groups for families and individuals affected by mental illness, available in person or virtually across Western New York
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Mental Health Education and Awareness 4 activities
    • Distributes mental health education materials
      Distributes free copies of “The Mind Matters” Guide to Services and maintains a lending library of mental health books and media materials available to members.
    • Engages in legislative advocacy for mental health
      Advocates at the legislative level to improve mental health treatment, services, and research funding.
    • Offers Family-to-Family education program
      Provides a free 8- to 9-week Family-to-Family education course for families of individuals with mental illness, covering mental health conditions, treatment, and support strategies.
    • Provides early mental illness education
      Offers educational programs that help families identify early warning signs of mental illness and access timely support and treatment.
  • Mobile Mental Health Crisis Intervention 3 activities
    • Delivers short-term crisis case management
      Provides short-term crisis case management for individuals with mental illness who frequently interact with law enforcement in CIT-trained jurisdictions, aiming to reduce police contact and connect them to community services.
    • Operates Mobile Outreach Program for community mental health intervention
      Runs a Mobile Outreach Program in Erie County that delivers community-based mental health interventions to divert individuals from psychiatric emergency rooms and support community stability.
    • Provides transitional support after inpatient care
      Delivers clinical and peer support through the Mobile Transitional Support Program to individuals transitioning from inpatient psychiatric care at Erie County Medical Center and Buffalo Psychiatric Center to prevent rehospitalization.
  • 24/7 Crisis and Warmline Support Services 3 activities
    • Directs individuals to national crisis resources
      Refers individuals in emotional distress to the 988 national mental health crisis line, including via text by messaging “NAMI” to 988, for access to trained counselors.
    • Operates a free mental health HelpLine
      Provides free information and emotional support through a trained volunteer HelpLine that responds to hundreds of requests annually, connecting callers to resources and offering crisis support.
    • Provides mental health crisis outreach and assessment
      Offers 24/7 access to Outreach Counselors who conduct telephone or face-to-face mental health assessments for individuals in crisis, performed by licensed professionals including social workers.
  • Direct Mental Health Counseling and Support Services 1 activity
    • Connects individuals to community mental health services
      Connects individuals in crisis to outpatient counseling, psychiatry, peer support, case management, social services, and housing to support long-term mental health stability.
  • Peer-Led Mental Health Support Groups 1 activity
    • Facilitates family support groups
      Operates monthly family support groups for individuals and families affected by mental illness, offered both in-person and online, led by trained facilitators with lived experience.
  • Veteran Benefits and Reintegration Support 1 activity
    • Offers Homefront education course for military families
      Provides a free six-week Homefront education course specifically designed for families of veterans dealing with military transition, PTSD, and other mental health challenges.
  • Outpatient Mental Health Clinic Services 1 activity
    • Provides jail diversion and 9.45 evaluation services
      Offers mental health assessment and 9.45 evaluation to individuals with mental illness who have committed low-level, non-violent, victimless offenses as an alternative to arrest.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$323K
Contributions & grants$199K61%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$103K32%
Other revenue$21K
expenses
Total expenses$251K
Program expenses55%
Admin / overhead24%
Fundraising21%
Salaries & benefits$154K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.08M
Cash$203K
Investments$776K
Liabilities$21K
Net assets$1.06M
Liquid reserves46.9 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +26.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 13
  • ALICIA KENNEY — TREASURER /
  • CAMBRIA DANIELS — PRESIDENT/DI
  • DOMINIQUE BARKER — VICE PRES/DI
  • ELIZABETH HOLE — SECRETARY/DI
  • KIMBERLY HUBERT-BICKEL — DIRECTOR
  • MELISSA COLLEY — DIRECTOR
  • MIKHAEL RUBIN — DIRECTOR
  • NIKKI POLASIK — DIRECTOR-FOR
  • PATRICIA FOSTER — DIRECTOR
  • PAUL MUCCIGROSSO — DIRECTOR
  • REGINA COOPER — DIRECTOR/PAS
  • SHACARAH HENRY — DIRECTOR
  • STEPHANIE KUNKLE — DIRECTOR
relationships · 17

Who they work with

  • Anchoring Hope of NY Partner — Board member is founder and president
  • BestSelf Behavioral Health, Inc. Partner — Board member employed at organization
  • Buffalo Psychiatric Center Partner — Partners on the Mobile Transitional Support Program to support individuals transitioning from inpatient psychiatric care to the community.
  • Crisis Services Partner — Board member employed at organization
  • Crisis Services Partner — Provides 24/7 outreach counseling, assessment, and crisis intervention services in collaboration with NAMI Buffalo & Western New York.
  • Erie County Medical Center Partner — Collaborates on the Mobile Outreach Program and Mobile Transitional Support Program for individuals in mental health crisis or transitioning from inpatient care.
  • Horizon Health Services Partner — Board member employed at organization
  • Lighthouse Womens’ Residence Partner — Board member employed at organization
  • NAMI Network — Member of the national NAMI network, aligning with the National Alliance on Mental Illness’s mission and programs.
  • NAMI National Network — NAMI Buffalo & Western New York is an affiliate of NAMI National, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization.
  • OtherWisz Creative Partner — Website design and creative services provider for NAMI Buffalo & Western New York.
  • OtherWisz Creative Partner — Website design and development partner
  • OtherWisz Creative Partner — Website design and development partner for NAMI Buffalo & Erie County.
  • Theodore Mental Health Counselor, PLLC Partner — Board member employed at organization
  • United States Air Force Partner — Board member employed at organization
  • Walsh Duffield Companies, Inc. Partner — Board member employed at organization
  • Williamsville CSD Partner — Board member formerly employed at organization
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Based Crisis Diversion
    methodology: crisis_diversion
    By providing peer-supported crisis intervention and case management in the community, NAMI Buffalo reduces reliance on emergency psychiatric hospitalization and law enforcement involvement, because timely, trauma-informed support from trusted peers prevents escalation and connects individuals to sustainable care pathways.
  • Family-Centered Systems Intervention
    methodology: family_centered_care
    By addressing mental illness as a family-wide experience rather than an individual condition, NAMI Buffalo improves outcomes through education and support that strengthens entire household systems, because stabilizing family dynamics increases treatment adherence and reduces crisis recurrence.
  • Peer-Led Family Support Model
    methodology: peer_led_support
    By leveraging individuals with lived experience of supporting a family member with mental illness to lead programs and provide peer support, NAMI Buffalo creates credible, relatable, and effective education and emotional support, which increases engagement and reduces isolation because shared experience fosters trust and understanding.