PHOTO GALLERY: NAMI employee finds purpose in mental health advocacy

Karr­en Jones, 67, an­swers the WARM­line at the Na­tion­al Al­li­ance on Men­tal Ill­ness Mis­souri of­fice in Jef­fer­son City. The WARM­line is meant to of­fer en­cour­age­ment and sup­port to those liv­ing with men­tal ill­ness. Jones, who lives with four men­tal ill­nesses, says it’s easi­er for callers to open up to her be­cause she un­der­stands many of their struggles.   |  Christie Megura

Kar­ren Jones is a phone re­spon­der, ment­or and speak­er for the Na­tion­al Al­li­ance on Men­tal Ill­ness Mis­souri. She was 19 when she first saw an an­gel in the back­seat of her 1953 Ford Crown Vic­tor­ia. Jones, 67, knows the an­gels are hal­lu­cin­a­tions, symp­toms of the men­tal ill­nesses she’s had for most of her life. Still, she finds them com­fort­ing — they let her know a room will be safe.   |  Christie Megura

Kar­ren Jones, 67, is of­ten the first one to ar­rive to the Na­tion­al Al­li­ance on Men­tal Ill­ness Mis­souri of­fice in Jef­fer­son City. She began work­ing at NAMI in 1989 after men­tal ill­ness caused her to go on dis­ab­il­ity from her job. “The pres­id­ent of NAMI told me that if I wanted to I could come to the of­fice and help out,” Jones said. “I helped so much that they put me on the payroll.” Today, Jones is a phone re­spon­der, ment­or and speak­er for the or­gan­iz­a­tion.   |  Christie Megura