The subject of estates and trusts is a very relevant one to anyone who has a child or loved one with a mental illness. How can you provide for your heirs after you’re gone? How can you be sure the assets you leave are protected and go to their needs?

Bruce Kiselstein, a local attorney who specializes in estates, will present an overview of trusts and wills designed for heirs with special needs.

You’ll learn how a well-designed trust can

• Protect your beneficiaries from losing their inheritance to illness, divorce, lawsuits, creditors, and government claims
• Specifically address the different needs of each of your loved ones now - - and adjust to their changing needs (such as unexpected illness, disability, or drug and alcohol problems) after you’re gone
• Protect your IRAs and retirement plans which, over time, will likely grow to become the largest assets you leave behind
• Provide clear documentation that your heirs can understand

The session, presented by NAMI Barrington Area, will be offered at no charge. No reservation is needed, but we’d like your RSVP so we can be sure we have room for everyone.

Call Hugh Brady for more information or to register at 847-991-1863 or bradyhugh@aol.com.

Wednesday, April 9th, at 1 p.m. The Alliance to End Homelessness presents a one-hour conference call, Focusing on Homeless Youth and Families, featuring local providers who are currently working with families and children and their strategies for providing support in permanent housing.  The calls are free and open to all. To join the call, phone 1-866-840-0048 a few minutes before the call and enter code 303619.  For more information, contact Liz Drapa at liz.drapa@csh.org  or 312-332-6690.

Thursday, April 10 at 6:45 p.m. NAMI Elk Grove/Schaumburg presents an "In Our Own Voice" program featuring mental health consumers who share their own stories to provide insight on what it's like to live with a serious mental illness in our community. At the Kenneth Young Center, 1001 Rohlwing Rd, Elk Grove. No charge. No reservation. For information call Carol Hall at 847 352-6708.

Monday, April 14, 7.30pm. The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance presents Anxiety--Snatcher of the Body/Mind: Identifying the Invasion and Heralding its Retreat! with Dr. Joan Durlacher, clinical psychologist. At the First United Methodist Church, 1903 E. Euclid Avenue, Lower Level Room 10, Arlington Heights. No charge, no reservation needed. Questions? mrsn@comcast.net.

Wednesday, April 16, 7 to 9 p.m. NAMI Barrington Area presents Estate planning for families of those with mental illness or other disabilities, with Bruce Kiselstein, an attorney who specializes in estate law and special needs trusts. At the Barrington City Hall boardroom, 200 S. Hough Street. No charge. No reservation needed. Call Hugh Brady for more information at 847-991-1863 or bradyhugh@aol.com.

Tuesday, April 22, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. NAMI Barrington Area board meeting in the Barrington Area Library, Large Meeting Room B. Drop in and learn what's going on in the chapter!

Wednesday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. NAMI Northwest Suburban Chapter presents Kevin Dorsey, consumer and assistant at Alexian Brothers speaking on "WRAP:  Wellness Recovery Action Plan" at Alexian Center for Mental Health, 3350 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 114, Arlington Heights. No charge. No registration. Call Star at 847-899-0195 for details.

Wednesday, May 14. Lobbying day and rally in Springfield to encourage our legislators to improve mental health services in Illinois. The rally will feature speeches and lots of information as well as chances for those attending to meet in small groups with individual legislators. If you'd like to attend, contact Hugh at 847-991-1863 or bradyhugh@aol.com for more information. If you'd like a free bus ride to Springfield, register with Mental Health America by April 15.

Monday, May 19, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. NAMI Barrington Area board meeting in the Barrington Area Library, Large Meeting Room B. Drop in and learn what's going on in the chapter!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008 (in Chicago) and Thursday, May 22, 2008 (Springfield). Illinois Division of Mental Health Conference 2008, "Changes in the Illinois Mental Health Code: Understanding the Legal, Clinical, and Social Implications.” For clinicians, attorneys, law enforcement, judges, hospital administrators, and consumers and their family. E-mail dhsmhea@dhs.state.il.us for details.

Every Tuesday, the RECOVERY Inc. self-help mental health support group (led by trained consumers using cognitive behavioral methods) meets at at the NAMI-McHenry County offices, 333 Commerce Drive, Suite 900A, Crystal Lake. For information call 815-338-5609, email 50_@recovery-inc.org, or visit www.recovery-inc.org.

Every week in April, the NAMI Consumer Connections support group meets in three locations in the northwest suburbs from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. For adults 18 and over with any type of mental illness. No charge/no registration: Mondays at the Alexian Center for Mental Health, 3350 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 114, in the large group room. Call Star at 847-899-0195 for details. Tuesdays at the Kenneth Young Center, 1001 Rohlwing, Elk Grove. Call Mary at 847-895-382 or Michelle at 847-524-2690 for information. Fridays at the Alexian Brothers Behavioral Hospital, 1650 Moon Lake Blvd, Hoffman Estates. Call Carol at 847-352-6708 or Ruth at 630-497-9737 for details.

Thursday, April 3. NAMI McHenry County Chapter dual diagnosis family support group meets the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the NAMI-McHenry County offices, 333 Commerce Drive, Suite 900A, Crystal Lake. Call 815-444-9991 for information.

Monday, April 7 and 21. NAMI Greater Chicago consumer support group meets twice monthly (usually the first and third Mondays), 2:30 - 4 p.m. at their offices, 536 W. Chicago Ave, 1st Floor, Chicago. Call Betty at 312-563-0445 or visit their website for information or for other city and suburban support groups.

Monday, April 7. NAMI Cook County North "Care & Share" family support group meets from 7 - 8:30 p.m. the first Monday of the month at the Kenton-Knox Conference Center at Rush North Shore Medical Center, 9701 N. Knox, Skokie. No charge. No reservation needed. Call Jan Magoc at at 847-297-0396 for information.

Tuesday, April 8 and 22. The NAMI DuPage Chapter family support group meets the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the NAMI office, 1403 North Main, Ste 301, Wheaton. (No charge, no reservation needed.) Phone 630-752-0066 with any questions.

Wednesday, April 9. NAMI Greater Chicago family support group meets monthly (usually the second Wednesday), 7 - 9 p.m. at their offices, 536 W. Chicago Ave, 1st Floor, Chicago. Call 312-563-0445 or visit their website for information or for other city and suburban support groups.

Thursday, April 10. The NAMI Elk Grove Chapter family support group meets the second Thursday of the month from 6:45- 8:45 p.m. at the Kenneth Young Center, 1001 Rohlwing Rd., Elk Grove. Family, friends, and recovered consumers are welcome Call Sue at 630-529-3037 or Gina at 630 302 2530 for more information.

Monday April 14 and Thursday, April 17. NAMI-C.A.R.E. (Consumers Advocating Recovery through Empowerment), a peer-based, mutual support group program led by trained consumers for individuals facing the challenges of recovering from a serious mental illness. The group meets twice a month: on the 3rd Thursday at the McHenry County Mental Health Board, 620 Dakota Street, Crystal Lake, following the 7:00 p.m. general support group, and on the 2nd Monday at the NAMI-McHenry County offices, 333 Commerce Drive, Suite 900A, Crystal Lake at 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, April 15. NAMI Barrington Area Chapter family support group, 7 – 8:30 p.m. at the Barrington Area Library, Large Meeting Room B. (No charge, no reservation needed.) Call Mary at 847-381-6919 for information.

Wednesday, April 16. NAMI Northwest Suburban Chapter family support group meets the third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. at Alexian Center for Mental Health, 3350 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 114, Arlington Heights. Call Star at 847-899-0195 for details.

Thursday, April 17. NAMI McHenry County Chapter general support group meets the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the McHenry County Mental Health Board Building, 620 Dakota St., Crystal Lake. Call 815-444-9991 for information.

Thursday, April 17. The NAMI Elk Grove/Schaumburg family support group meets the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Hanover Park Branch Library, 1266 Irving Park Road, Hanover Park. Call Linda: at 847-985-9128 for information.

Our spring sessions are already under way, but it's not too early to register for our next sessions. We expect to offer one in Barrington, one at the Northwest Community Mental Health Network in Arlington Heights, and possibly one in Waconda.

These NAMI classes are for family members, partners and friends of individuals with serious mental illness. "This course is a wonderful experience," said one student. "It balances basic education and skill-training with emotional support, self care and
empowerment."

The tragedy that occurred at Northern Illinois University on Valentine's Day may be viewed at senseless and violent. I have heard many "theories" of how we as a society can prevent similar future occurrences. The suggestions range from tougher gun control, more security on campus, and housing all people with a mental illness in an institution!

Personal experience as a family member and professional cause me to have conflicting thoughts. I have seen some very agitated people through the years and some have brain disorders, but some do not. And an article released by SAMHSA states that the association between mental health disorders and violence is weak.

Last year NAMI BA lost its phone system, and by the time we were able to get the mess sorted out, we were unable to have our old phone number back. So we now have a new and better phone system and a new phone number: The new NAMI Barrington Area phone number is 847-496-1415.
 

Thank You Brian and Joanne

This month Patrick Rogers explains the Ticket to Work program, which helps people who receive Social Security disability payments return to work. He also explains how, if your payments have stopped because you've returned to work, how you might restart the payments if your medical condition returns.

We hope these articles will help you navigate the system.

This month, Part Seven: A Ticket to Work

On March 5th, by an overwhelming vote the US House of Representatives passed a mental health insurance parity bill.  The Senate had passed a similar bill last fall. 

That's great news, but the two houses must agree on a final bill before it can go to the president for signature. We still need your help to send a letter to your member of Congress to urge passage of a unified bill.

In the meantime, our Illinois Legislature Rally Day is coming up on May 14. If you'd like to go and ride on one of the Mental Health America busses, you need to send them your registration by April 15.

As anyone knows who has tried to get mental health services in Illinois, our state’s mental health system is broken.  Illinois got an F in NAMI’s recent state-by-state comparison of mental health services – and recently the head of one of our area’s mental hospitals told me that Illinois richly deserved that grade. 

Yet much is possible. Our public officials have it in their power to create a system that truly serves the people of Illinois.  We just need to help them see the light. 

We are still waiting. Meanwhile, the need for that money grows.

NAMI is a membership organization, and the programs we offer are only as strong as the membership that supports them. We hope you will return your renewal form as quickly as possible - or if you're not a member, that you'll consider filling out a membership form now.

I want to invite you to help us support and advocate for people with brain disorders, and in so doing, help yourself. Are you willing to lend a hand?

Our biggest need right now is for people to serve on our publicity committee, but we have many other needs as well. There's so much we can accomplish, but only with more good people like you pitching in. Please call.

Thresholds (for rehabilitation help and housing)
Wilpower (for rehabilitation help and housing)
Community links from Wilpower
Alliance to End Homelessness in Cook County newsletter
St_Hubert_Job_Ministry
Government Benefits portal
Social Security Administration
Veterans Administration
Alexian Center for Mental Health
Ecker Center for Mental Health, Elgin
Lake County Behavioral Health Center
NAMI Help Line (agency referrals): 800-950-NAMI (6264)

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