| In This Issue |
| Who We Are |
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation's foremost grassroots mental health organization. We are dedicated to improving the lives of people living with serious brain disorders that cause mental illness and to improving the lives of their families. Founded in 1979, NAMI is active in all 50 states, Canada, and Mexico with over 1100 local chapters across the country. Our mission is one of education, support, self help, advocacy and research.
NAMI Barrington Area is a new NAMI chapter located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. We are a dedicated group of people serving Barrington and nearby suburbs hoping to help you or someone you love on the path to recovery from mental illness. Call us at 847-496-1415.
About NAMI Barrington area chapter
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NAMI Illinois to Hold Gala
Windfall donation of dinner and reception at InterContinental O'Hare
Normally NAMI Illinois does not conduct fundraising events, but late last month our Springfield office received a most interesting phone call. A gentleman was engaged to be married and had booked a big wedding reception at a very nice Chicago area hotel. He also put down a substantial and non-refundable deposit for the reception.
But unfortunately the wedding got called off and there he was, stuck with a very nice venue for a very nice event, but no event to hold. So he donated the venue and his non-refundable deposit to NAMI Illinois if we would hold a fundraiser there.
This offer couldn't have come at a better time. NAMI Illinois gets a large part of its annual operating funds from the State of Illinois' Division of Mental Health. The money goes to help pay for our education and consumer and family support programs.
But as everyone knows, the State of Illinois is broke and has been unable to make its scheduled payments to NAMI IL. We have been told that the State may be forced to cancel the rest of its planned funding for NAMI IL. This leaves a major hole in our budget. This man's generous gift to NAMI should go a long way toward allowing us to keep the state organization afloat.
Here are some details about the gala. It will be on Saturday, July 17 at the Hotel Intercontinental in Rosemont, right across from the Rosemont Convention Center. We are booked for a very nice reception with open bar and hors d'oeuvres at 6:30 and a dinner at 7:30. The event will feature a silent auction, a reverse auction, a regular auction and many raffles. Instead of one (expensive) keynote speaker, we will have a number of people make shorter remarks. (It is always tough to have a long speech after a big dinner anyway - people tend to nod off!) In any event, July 17 should be a wonderful evening with the proceeds going for a very good cause. We hope you will join us.
Tickets are $150, with part of the proceeds going back to the local affiliates. If you buy your tickets from NAMI BA, we will get 20% of the ticket price. To purchase tickets, just drop us an e-mail at NamiBa@NamiBarringtonArea.org and let us know how many tickets you would like. Be sure to leave us contact information so we know how to get the tickets to you.
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June Events
Wednesday, June 2, 7 - 8:30 p.m. The Criminal Justice Action Committee will meet at Alexian Center for Mental Health, 3350 Salt Creek Lane, Suite #114, Arlington Heights. Questions, please call Joe Jason at (847) 537-3009 or e-mail jmj2400@yahoo.com
Wednesday, June 2, 8:30a.m. - 2:30p.m. Region 1 Consumer Conference: Faces of Recovery IV: The Art of Recovery. Featuring workshops related to the arts and the Art of Recovery. $10 Registration Fee, however, no one will be excluded for lack of funds: Free for those who are homeless or living in nursing homes. At Hermann Hall Conference Center, Illinois Institute of Technology, 3241 S. Federal St., Chicago. Registration required. Contact Virginia Goldrick, Recovery Specialist, DMH-Region One at (773) 794-5680 or Virginia.Goldrick@illinois.gov
Thursday, June 3 and Friday, June 4, all day. Adler School of Professional Psychology hosts conference on the Social Determinants of Mental Health: From Awareness to Action. Registration and fee required. At the Drake Hotel in Chicago.
Monday, June 7, all day. 10th annual Golf Outing for Alexian Bros. Center for Mental Health at Makray Memorial Golf Club, in Barrington. $200per/person includes putting contest, shotgun start, eighteen holes of golf with cart, lunch, banquet dinner, and prizes. Please contact Ken Doruff at kbsdoruff@aol.com for more information.
Tuesday, June 8 and Wednesday, June 9, all day. Illinois Mental Health and Justice 2010 Conference. Day 1: Mental Health Courts in Illinois and Day 2: Legal and Clinical Updates for Forensic and Mandated Civil Treatment. Register for Day 1, Day 2 or Both. Fee required. At College of DuPage, Student Resource Center, Rm 2800, 425 Fawell Blvd, Glen Ellyn. Read more about the conference here. Register on line. For questions contact Laura Folladori (815) 319-4805 or email lfolladori@wincoil.us
Saturday, June 19, 10 a.m. NAMI DeKalb chapter presents Romel Smith of the Social Security Administration speaking at the Provena Mercy Behavioral Health Building in Aurora. No charge. No reservation. Call (630) 896-6264 for information or directions.
Wednesday, June 23, 7:00 p.m. NAMI NW Suburban welcomes Dr. Maxim A. Chasanov, Medical Director, Alexian Brothers Center for Mental Health. He will speak at Alexian Brothers Center for Mental Health, 3350 Salt Creek Ln., Suite 114, Arlington Heights, IL, Phone 847-899-0195 for more information.
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July Events
Wednesday, June 30 - Saturday, July 3, NAMI National Convention in Washington D.C. Registration rates are $235 for NAMI members and $135 for consumer members. Discounted hotel rates are also available. You can register and see additional convention rates on the convention registration page. Lots of great info on the website!
Saturday, July 17. NAMI Illinois Fundraising Gala at the InterContinental O'Hare. Includes a reception with open bar, dinner, several speakers, and silent auction, reverse auction and raffles. Cost per person: $150. For information or to purchase tickets email namiba@namibarringtonarea.org.
Saturday, July 24, 6:00p.m. NAMI Elk Grove-Schaumburg hosts Bowling FUN-raiser for Mental Health. All Consumers and their families are invited to attend this fun social event which includes 3 games of bowling, shoe rental, buffet dinner with soft drinks, and $1.00 raffle tickets to win many prizes. Cost: $39 bowling and dinner, $29 dinner only, $22 bowling and dinner for low-income Consumers. Call Gina to RSVP and for information at (630) 302-2530 or email namiegsch@yahoo.com
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Area Support Groups
You may find that a support group can be very helpful, especially if you, a partner, friend or family member is going through a crisis. A very large number of groups meet in our area for consumers as well as family members and friends.
Each month, we publish a list of support groups that you can attend, generally at no charge and with no need to make a reservation. You can access that list in a printable format here.
We would also like to invite you to the groups hosted by our own chapter, NAMI Barrington Area. This month we will offer a NAMI Connections group for consumers and a family support group every Thursday at Northwest Community Hospital at 7 p.m. (call Nora at 847-899- -6264 for more information). We will also hold a family group on Tuesday, June 8 at the Barrington Area Library (call Mary at 847-381-6919 or Trowby at 847-382-6015). |
| Family to Family Classes
by Maryrose Peters
Family to Family, one of NAMI's most successful programs, is a free 12-week course for family caregivers of individuals with severe mental illnesses that discusses the clinical treatment of these illnesses and teaches the knowledge and skills that family members need to cope more effectively. It balances basic education and skill training with emotional support, self care and empowerment. To date over 200,000 family members have graduated this class nationwide!
Since these illnesses are so common, it is guaranteed that you may know a family who may need this valuable information, so please help us spread the word! We now take registrations all year long, so give us a call to find out more about this program by calling Maryrose at 847-496-1415. |
Attend Our Paired Support Groups
Family and consumer groups Thursdays at Northwest Community
Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights is the location for NAMI BA's ongoing pairing of NAMI a Connections and a Family Support group. The dual program features simultaneous meetings of a NAMI Connections Support group for people with mental illness and a Family Support group.
People are welcome to attend one of the sessions without other family members, but the pairing also allows families to attend support groups at the same time and same location. The consumers go to Connections and their family members can attend the Family Support Group.
The two groups meet every Thursday 7:00 - 8:30 PM at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Height in the second floor meeting rooms of building #7, the mental health unit, in the northwest corner of the hospital campus, 701 Kirchoff Rd. Advance registration in not necessary, people who are interested should just show up.
If you have questions or would like more information about this exciting new program, contact Nora or Frank at 847-258-4636. |
Arlington Heights Turns Its Back on Supportive Housing
from the President's Desk by Hugh Brady
On Monday, May 17, fear prevailed in Arlington Heights as the Village Board said "no" to supportive housing for individuals with mental illness.
By a 4-3 vote the trustees rejected a request for the zoning necessary for a project initiated by the North/Northwest Suburban Task Force on Supportive Housing, made up of representatives from five area NAMI chapters. A "not in our back yard" protest, driven by unreasonable and unnecessary fear, ruled the day.
So the Task Force is regrouping and will have to determine where to go from here. Read more about the issue.
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Have a mental illness? Go directly to jail.
Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200.
A recent research report recently conducted by the Treatment Advocacy Center and the National Sheriffs' Association showed that people with severe mental illnesses were much more likely to end up in jail than in hospitals.
If you're interested in this important issue, read more here.
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Advocate for people with mental illness when they get arrested
by Joseph M. Jason
It is a sad fact that some of our family members will end up in the criminal justice system due to their organic brain disorders.
If you have a family member with mental illness who has been arrested, here's an excellent guide: HOW TO HELP WHEN A PERSON WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IS ARRESTED.
This handbook talks about what happens when you get arrested, how to find someone who has been arrested and what to do when you find them. It also talks about working with defense attorneys and advocating for treatment.
You can make a difference... prosecutors will often read the information you provide; many appointed defense attorneys will listen and be helpful. They can file statements for you before the court. You can testify at the sentencing if necessary.
Treatment instead of jail is an appropriate option for some people with serious mental illness. And getting help for those people is a goal of Illinois' 12 mental health courts in Cook, Winnebago, Lee, McHenry, Kane, Lake, DuPage, Rock Island and Madison counties-and for new courts planned n McLean, Grundy, Will, Peoria and Macon counties.
Author E. Fuller Torrey, M.D., a research psychiatrist and Treatment Advocacy Center founder said it best: "If societies are judged by how they treat their most disabled members, our society will be judged harshly indeed. The present situation, whereby individuals with serious mental illnesses are being put into jails and prisons rather than into hospitals, is a disgrace to American medicine and to common decency and fairness. |
A Stay of Execution
Legislative Alert by Hugh BradySome good news from the Illinois Legislature at last, sort of. They adjourned at the end of April without passing a budget. That is to say, they adjourned without passing the deep cuts in mental health funding they have been considering.
Your efforts to lobby the legislature have been working, and we need you to keep the heat on. We need you to contact your state legislators again - or for the first time if you haven't called them yet. Here's how.
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Membership renewals in the mail
NAMI National rolls out updated renewal process!There is good news to report today! On a national level, NAMI has been working hard to streamline the system of registering new members and renewing memberships. The new system ties into our local membership records as well.
We sent your membership renewal letters just a few days ago to catch up on a backlog of processing. Please respond without delay so that we may get our membership files current in the new system.
We encourage you to renew via the NAMI website if possible as that will update your records automatically and immediately. When you renew on-line, be sure to name NAMI Barrington Area as your affiliate. If you prefer to use a check and a paper form, membership chair Barb Kreski will be happy to process it. If you have any questions, you may contact her at (847) 506-9607, evenings.
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Fundraiser a Success
NAMI BA held their Shop & Socialize fundraiser at the 111 Grille at the Barrington Ice House on May 1st.
It was a great opportunity for NAMI friends to network and shop for the NAMI cause. 12 vendors including Mary Kay, Pamepered Chef and Tastefully Simple donated funds to NAMI to particpate in the event where they showcased their products. Attendees networked, snacked on hors d'oeuvres and browsed thru the vendor products.
Special thanks to Stephanie Pestrak, Fundraising Chair for doing an outstanding job in organizing the fundraiser. Also special thanks to the board members for their show of support and Nancy Jason, who coordinated the bake sale at the event.
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Area Research Study
ABBHH and Deep Brain StimulationThe Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates and Dr. Anthony D'Agustino are part of a study on deep brain stimulation as a way to treat medication-resistant depression. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a non-pharmacological therapy that uses pulses of current from an implanted device similar to a pacemaker to stimulate the brain
The study will investigate stimulating a brain structure known as Brodman Area 25 for a major depressive disorder. The procedure has been used successfully for Parkinson's and other movement disorders for years. And now the procedure has been life changing for people with medication-resistant depression as well. So far twelve of these procedures have been done at ABBHH with no complications.
Participants will receive the device, the surgical procedure and study-related follow-up care free of charge.
For additional information, contact Dr. Anthony D'Agustino at 847-755-8081. You can also visit the study website. |
Help for the Seriously Ill
Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Illinois provides care and guidance to those facing serious illness, end of life and loss. Located in Barrington, the non-profit agency provides adult and pediatric hospice, plus pain, symptom and side-effect management for a wide array of serious illnesses such as ALS, cancer, CHF, COPD, diabetes, and dementia/Alzheimer's. Founded in 1982, the agency serves families throughout McHenry, Lake, Northwest Cook, Kane, Boone, and DuPage counties. For further information, call 847-381-5599.
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Volunteers Needed
Do you really mean it when you say you want to help people with mental health issues?
If so, we can use your help at NAMI Barrington Area. 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? It's a wonderful experience to be involved and make a difference!
There's so much we can accomplish, but only with more good people like you pitching in. Please call Maryrose at 847-496-1415.
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Local Hospitals
With Mental Health Serivces
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| Community Mental Health Services
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| Please pass on this newsletter
We hope you'll pass this newsletter on to friends, family members or professionals who might get some useful information from it. Even though you don't know if your friend would need this valuable information and support, you never know who may have a co-worker or neighbor who would.
The best way to pass it on is to hit the 'forward email' button at the bottom of this page.
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Emergency Numbers
Local police/ambulance: 911
State police: 847-294-4400
Crisis team, Alexian Brothers, Hoffman Estates
(24 hour): 800-432-5005
Illinois state suicide line: 800-784-2433
Ecker Center 24-hour emergency program (Elgin) 847-888-2211
More emergency numbers
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