Our Mission Statement & Core Values

The mission of the Legislative Breakfast on Mental Health is to educate our communities, including elected officials, about mental health issues that impact all citizens of North Carolina.

Our History & Background

The Legislative Breakfast on Mental Health began around 1978 in Orange County, organized first by the Mental Health Association of Orange County, later joined by NAMI Orange. The purpose of the event was to bring community conversation to statewide issues concerning treatment services, service gaps, and overall needs to improve outcomes of people living with mental illness, and their loved ones. In an effort to broaden the reach of the event, NAMI Durham joined to reach Durham County legislators and community.

The early years of the Legislative Breakfast focused on legislators attending from Orange, Person, Chatham and Durham counties. Ten (10) years ago, event organizers decided to expand participation beyond those counties, and increase attendance from legislators and communities far beyond the original OPC-D region. That is a testament to the dedication of the organizing committee that exists today and continues to grow.

Thanks to Julie Bailey, former Chair, Legislative Breakfast on Mental Health Chair, for providing this information.

If you have additional information, photos, or programs about the early years of the Legislative Breakfast on Mental Health, we’d love for you to share it.