Mental Illness Awareness Week runs October 3–9, 2027, a yearly push to fight stigma and help people find care. It exists because NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, persuaded Congress to create it in 1990, and the group still leads it.
First Full Week of October
Every year, it covers October’s first full week, starting on a Sunday and running through Saturday. In both 2020 and 2026, that meant October 4 to 10.
That timing often brings World Mental Health Day, October 10, into the week. In 2020, NAMI’s guide listed it as the closing day.
Local NAMI affiliates lead most events, and no federal holiday comes with the week.
From Family Groups to Congress
Families came first. NAMI began in 1979 as a small group of families who met to talk about mental illness, the American Hospital Association notes.
Congress set aside the first full week of October in 1990, recognizing the group’s work. NAMI credits its own advocacy for the change.
Themes help shape each year. In 2020, NAMI used “What People with Mental Illness Want You to Know.”
Each day had its own topic that year, from anxiety and bipolar disorder to psychosis, NAMI’s 2020 field guide shows.
Several related days have fallen inside the week. The guide flagged a National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness Recovery and Understanding, and National Depression Screening Day.
Why Awareness Still Matters
About 1 in 5 adults is affected. In all, 23.4% of American adults experience mental illness in a given year, NAMI’s 2025 fact sheet says.
Federal data line up closely. NIMH estimated that 59.3 million adults, or 23.1%, had a mental illness in 2022.
Serious mental illness affects a smaller group. NIMH counted 15.4 million adults in 2022, about 6.0%.
Young people are affected too. More than 1 in 7 children and teens ages 6 to 17 have a mental health disorder, according to NAMI.
Treatment gaps remain wide. Only about half of adults with a mental illness, 50.6%, got treatment in the past year, NIMH found.
People with serious mental illness were more likely to get care, at 66.7%. That still left about a third without treatment.
Delays add up as well. NAMI’s 2020 guide put the average gap between first symptoms and treatment at 11 years.
Anxiety disorders are the most common type. That same guide estimated they affect 19.1% of U.S. adults, about 48 million people.
Major depression came next among the conditions it listed, at 7.2% of adults, or roughly 17.7 million.
Ways to Help
You don’t need to be an expert to make a difference. Listening without judgment is a strong start.
If someone is in crisis, call or text 988 in the U.S. to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
- Check in on a friend or family member and really listen.
- Learn the warning signs of common conditions from NAMI’s resources.
- Join a NAMI affiliate event or a NAMIWalks fundraiser.
- Share a personal story, if you feel comfortable, to help reduce stigma.
- Add the 988 number to your contacts so it’s ready for a hard day.
- Ask your workplace what mental health benefits it offers.
- Walk with a NAMIWalks team or donate to a local affiliate’s program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as Mental Health Awareness Month?
No. That’s in May. This is a single week in October.
Who organizes Mental Illness Awareness Week?
A national grassroots group that started with families.
Where can someone in crisis get help?
Anyone in America can call or text a three-digit crisis number at any hour.
Does the theme change each year?
Yes. Organizers choose a new message for each campaign.