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New NAMI chapter approaches second anniversary The new Barrington Area chapter of NAMI, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, is now more than one year old. NAMI is a non-profit, grassroots, self-help, education, support and advocacy organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for persons with brain disorders (mental illness) and their families. The new chapter, founded in August, 2006, has joined the other chapters in the area: Arlington Heights, DuPage County, Kane County, McHenry County, Northfield, Schaumberg and Greater Chicago. Mental illnesses are brain disorders that affect one in every four families and are more common than cancer, diabetes or heart disease. Depression is the leading cause of disability and the fourth leading cause of hospitalization. According to the Surgeon General's report on mental health, the unemployment rate for adults with serious mental illness is about ninety percent. These statistics show the urgency of addressing the needs of people with mental illness.
Education and support NAMI Barrington Area would like to extend the opportunity to attend a series of 12 weekly classes that are structured to help caregivers understand and support individuals with mental disorders while maintaining their own well being. "This course is a wonderful experience!" said one student, "It balances basic psycho-education and skill-training with emotional support, self care and empowerment." We hope families with relatives who have serious mental illness will take advantage of this unique opportunity. NAMI Barrington Area will also be offering Visions for Tomorrow, an educational course designed for caregivers of children/adolescents with brain disorders. As one parent put it, "On an emotional level, the understanding, support and unconditional acceptance addressed our painful feelings of isolation. The wealth of information provided helped us to overcome the overwhelming sense of helplessness and identified what we could control, energizing us to move forward in life." In addition, NAMI Barrington Area will be offering support groups, speaker meetings, and outreach programs to help reduce the stigma so long attached to mental illness.
Advocacy Our new chapter will also be active in seeking to improve mental health services in Illinois. NAMI’s national organization recently did a state-by-state comparison of mental health services. Illinois ranked 34th among the 50 states in per-capita public spending on mental health services and programs, well behind such states as Indiana, Tennessee and even Mississippi, and was one of only nine states to earn a grade of “F” from NAMI. Our members have been distressed to learn that mental health services are so inadequate in Illinois that in many cases the criminal justice system has become our main method of dealing with those who suffer from mental illnesses. In fact, in Illinois there are more people suffering from mental illnesses in our prisons than in all of our mental hospitals, public and private, combined! Members of the new NAMI Barrington Area chapter hope to work with area legislators to improve this deplorable situation. The President of the new NAMI chapter is Hugh Brady, and he is assisted by a ten-member Board of Directors, from the new chapter’s service area. People who are interested in joining the new chapter or who would like more information about or who would like to register for one of the NAMI classes should contact the chapter’s Education Director, Maryrose at 847-382-6623. |
