In 1988, Neami was incorporated after 2 years of building alliances with local, carer, consumer, health service providers and community members. Neami sought to address the growing housing needs of people leaving hospital and to identify service gaps for those experiencing mental illness and work with consumers to fill those gaps.

By 1994, Neami had grown from 2 staff to approximately 8 staff providing housing and rehabilitation and support programs to people residing in Darebin. In the 5 years that followed Neami went through a transition from small community agency to the major provider of rehabilitation and support services for people with a mental illness in the Northern region of Melbourne.

From 1990 to 1996, Neami's growth and development was primarily due to Victorian government policy changes. The policy initiative developed mainstreaming and integration of mental health services into general health services. This led to a very large de-institutional program where major hospital services were decommissioned and services transferred to community settings. Many of the services Neami currently manages were previously operated by the state run psychiatric services.

In 2000 Neami commenced improving the services by implementing outcome measures, developing new partnerships with local service providers within the community and strengthening consumer participation at all levels of the organisation.  Neami became an accredited organisation through the Quality Improvement Council in 2003 and recently renewed this accreditation in 2007.

Neami secured funding through the Housing Accommodation and Support Initiative (HASI) in New South Wales and commenced service establishment in 2003.  Since this time Neami has been successful in securing funding for a number of HASI funding rounds and now has 10 services operating from New South Wales.

During this time Neami was also successful in obtaining funding in South Australia and commenced service establishment in 2004.  Neami currently has four services operating in South Australia with a rural service located in Murray Bridge.

2007 saw Neami obtaining its first Federal Government funding thorough the Day to Day Living in the Community Program and the Personal Helpers and Mentors Program.  This saw expansions to some services in New South Wales and Victoria and the establishment of our first service in Western Australia, located in Armadale.

For a historical timeline of Neami's development please click here.