NAMI Vermont urges lawmakers to treat mental health as 'brain health,' launches youth advocacy cohort

Kathleen Kilflore, events and fundraising coordinator for NAMI Vermont, told the House Health Care Committee on Jan. 29 that the statewide nonprofit frames mental health as "brain health" and provides free, volunteer-run education, support and advocacy services across Vermont. "We have heart health, we have lung health, and we have brain health," Kilflore said, arguing that clearer language could reduce stigma and improve access.

Kilflore summarized NAMI Vermont’s core services — parenting classes, support groups (in-person and remote) and public presentations — and emphasized the group’s reliance on lived experience. She cited state statistics provided in testimony: mental illness affects about 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 youth ages 6 to 17 in Vermont, and nearly 1 in 20 adults live with a serious mental-health condition.

Announcing a new initiative, Kilflore said NAMI Vermont will launch the "Uplifting Youth Voice to Advocacy" program in January 2026, open to people ages 14 and older, to train high-school and college-age students in advocacy skills, testimony and legislative engagement. She named Representative Berbeko and Representative Boeslund as confirmed legislative mentors and asked additional lawmakers to volunteer.

Kilflore also invited committee members to NAMI’s annual "United Day of Hope" walk on May 16, describing the event as a free, community-focused fundraiser with more than 40 nonprofit vendors, a resource fair and a low-barrier registration model. She described a separate UVM-funded grant supporting community conversations and panels on topics from LGBTQ access to postpartum care, designed as soft entry points for people who might not otherwise seek services.

In response to questions, Kilflore said NAMI partners with the University of Vermont on training nursing and psychology students, supports an inpatient support group at UVM, and runs campus programs such as "Ending the Silence" and "In Our Own Voice" to bring lived-experience testimony into collegiate settings.

Kilflore acknowledged the recent closure of the Center for Health and Learning and said NAMI has been discussing rehoming the "You Matter" curriculum with Vamhar to preserve effective suicide-prevention materials. She described NAMI’s services as free to consumers and dependent on grants, donations and volunteers, and said the organization is creating a strategic plan as its executive director, Laurie Emerson, plans to retire in June.

The committee thanked Kilflore for the testimony and asked for written materials and follow-up information on partnerships and program details. The committee did not take formal action during the hearing.

The committee recessed and planned to continue Mental Health Advocacy Day activities later in the afternoon.