Dr. Nelson Soto & Susan O. Holtzman
November 14, 2024 — Albizu University, known internationally for its multicultural post-graduate higher education in psychology and other human services fields, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Alliance of Mental Illness’s (NAMI) Miami-Dade Chapter Affiliate, whose mission is to champion community awareness and education on mental health while providing dedicated support and advocacy for individuals living with mental health challenges and their loved ones.
This partnership officially establishes an Albizu University Institutional NAMI Campus Club in Miami and Puerto Rico, offering students the opportunity to join this prestigious organization, the largest grassroots mental health organization in the United States. Most importantly, it also initiates the NAMI approach of peer support in Puerto Rico with Albizu University at the helm, thus cementing the development of an affiliate in the island – the first in the Caribbean.
In addition to establishing the Albizu University Institutional NAMI Campus Club to benefit students, the MOU agreement also allows Albizu to become a referral source for NAMI through The Goodman Psychological Services Center’s services and capabilities by increasing awareness of its facilities to better serve the Miami-Dade community. The facility, also known as the Goodman Clinic, will be included as a service provider for NAMI Miami-Dade Help Line calls, provide a place for interns to work with experts in the field, and allow the use of its facilities for support group sessions and meetings, facilitated by NAMI. Sponsored by Albizu University since its inception in 1980, the Goodman Clinic is an outpatient treatment facility for mental health and speech and language services that has serviced over 15,000 members of the South Florida community, including children, adolescents, and adults.
“We are thrilled to be affiliated with NAMI and look forward to a prosperous and successful partnership,” said Albizu University President Dr. Nelson E. Soto, who co-signed the agreement. “Having the first NAMI on Campus Club institution-wide and being an integral crucial part of the organization’s first-ever Caribbean affiliate in Puerto Rico adds great value to the community our institution serves. Our students, particularly those who are pursuing degrees in Behavioral Science will benefit from the access to critical NAMI assets that come with being part of an important national movement, and services to those in need will expand through our Miami Campus-based Goodman Clinic.”
Made official during a ceremony at Albizu’s Miami Campus, leadership and staff from both organizations were in attendance.
“NAMI Miami-Dade County is very excited to collaborate with Albizu University in Miami and Puerto Rico,” said NAMI Miami-Dade County President & CEO Susan O. Holtzman. “This will represent our first Caribbean collaboration, and it is an honor to work with Albizu to support our mission of education, support, and advocacy for people living with mental health conditions and their families. The activities of the Albizu NAMI on-campus chapter will have a long-lasting impact both here and in Puerto Rico,” Holtzman added.
About Albizu University
Proud of its roots and commitment to excellence in program offerings, Albizu University is a private, non-profit institution of higher learning with campuses in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Miami, Florida, and a University Center in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. It was the only regionally accredited secular University in the continental United States named in honor of a Hispanic, the distinguished Puerto Rican psychologist Dr. Carlos Albizu-Miranda. To date, over 9,000 graduates call Albizu University their Alma Mater—a university that prides itself on educating culturally competent individuals capable of serving the diverse populations of our global community. Albizu University offers undergraduate and graduate programs in psychology, education, speech-language pathology, and human services, as well as an ESOL program, taught by a diverse, expert faculty. Total enrollment is over 2,000 students representing 65 countries. Albizu University’s Miami Campus was recently recognized as the top institution for Best Online Master’s in Organizational Psychology Programs 2020 by BestColleges.com. For more information, visit albizu.edu.
About NAMI Miami-Dade
NAMI Miami-Dade County is an affiliate of the nation’s largest peer-led mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of individuals affected by a mental health condition and their families. NAMI Miami-Dade’s mission is to champion community awareness and education on mental health while providing dedicated support and advocacy for individuals living with mental health challenges and their loved ones. NAMI Miami Dade has engaged more than 41,000 students, young adults, adults, and families with awareness, prevention, education, and support programs. These programs are free, led by NAMI-trained leaders with lived experience, and remain confidential. For more information, call 305-665-2540, or visit NAMIMiami.org. To donate, visit NAMIMiami.org/get-involved/donate