| 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 National Convention Comes to Chicago
Super Saver registration deadline March 15.
The NAMI National Convention is always interesting, inspiring and very helpful - with plenty of great information for consumers, family members and professionals.
This year it will be held at the Chicago Hilton Hotel, 720 S. Michigan, so there's every reason to attend. Mark your calendar now to attend the whole program July 6-9 or come in for a particular day or for specific events.
The complete schedule and program are online here, but there is a charge, and it's at it's lowest if you register before March 15. |
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March Events
Wednesday, March 2, 7-8:30 p.m. The NAMI Criminal Justice Action Committee, part of NAMI BA, meets the first Wednesday of every month, and we'd love to have your help and support. We meet at the Alexian Center for Mental Health, 3350 Salt Creek Lane-Suite #114, Arlington Heights. For more information, email Joseph M. Jason or phone him at (847) 537-3009. Help us make a difference.
Friday March 4, 8.a.m. thru Saturday March 5, 4p.m. Piecing It All Together Conference: "How Children's Mental Health & Mental Illness Affect Family, School & Community." At Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, IL. Family member $50 fee, Professional $125 fee. Register online or print the paper registration form. For more information or to receive additional email conference updates, please email NAMI Illinois at namiil@sbcglobal.net.
Sunday, March 6, 2 p.m. The Arlington Heights Youth Depression/Bipolar Group (DBSA) will meet for Snack & Yack at Noodles & Company, Arlington Heights. All welcome! Call Leah for directions and questions at (847) 541-7754 or email her.
Monday, March 14, 7 - 9p.m. NAMI-CCNS presents Ask the Professionals about Mental Illness with Dr. Maria T. Caserta, Director of Psychiatry and Veronica Stefanek, LCSW and Manager of Behavioral Health Social Work at the Neuropsychiatric Institute of the University of Illinois Chicago. At the Glenview Township Police Department Building, 2500 East Lake Avenue. No charge, no registration required. Call 847-716-2252 for details.
Wednesday, March 16, 6:30p.m. NAMI Barrington Area board meeting in the Kildeer Village Hall, 21911 Quentin Road, Kildeer. Drop in and learn what's going on in the chapter!
Saturday, March 19, 2 p.m. The Arlington Heights Youth Depression/Bipolar Group (DBSA) will meet at the Putting Edge Fun Center for glow-in-the-dark mini-golf indoors! At 2535 W Golf, Hoffman Estates. You don't need to be a member to join us! Call Leah for directions and questions at (847) 541-7754 or email her.
Wednesday, March 23, 7p.m. NAMI NW Suburban invites you to hear Revita DeChalus, Public Aid Case Manager for the Alexian Brothers Center for Mental Health, speak on the most recent changes to Social Security Insurance and Medicaid. At the Alexian Center, 3350 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 114, Arlington Heights. Please call 847-899-0195 or email for more information.
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April Events
Wednesday, April 6, 7-8:30 p.m. The NAMI Criminal Justice Action Committee, part of NAMI BA, meets the first Wednesday of every month, and we'd love to have your help and support. We meet at the Alexian Center for Mental Health, 3350 Salt Creek Lane-Suite #114, Arlington Heights. For more information, email Joseph M. Jason or phone him at (847) 537-3009. Help us make a difference.
Saturday, April 30, 6:30 p.m. NAMI CCNS Gala: Recovery - Making the Pieces Fit. Master of ceremonies: WGN's Orion Samuelson. Guest speaker: Dr. Fred Frese, who overcame a diagnosis of schizophrenia to become a Marine Corp officer and later a university professor. For more info contact Pat Rodbro or Frieda Ankin or phone 847.716.2252.
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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 Connection 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). |
Family to Family Registration Open
Our Family to Family classes in Barrington and at Northwest Community Hospital are running smoothly. As evidenced in our very high attendance, there is a huge need for this type of education and support with these illnesses.
Our classes normally reach maximum attendance weeks before the first day of class, so if you are interested in attending our summer classes it is not too early to register. Call Maryrose at 847-496-1415
Family to Family, a series of 12 weekly classes structured to help you understand and support individuals with mental disorders while maintaining your own well being, will soon begin.
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 skills-training with emotional support, self care and empowerment."
There is no cost to participate in a Family to Family class, you don't need to be a NAMI member, and it doesn't matter if you live in a particular chapter's area to attend a class. Just pick out a date and location that's convenient. Please note, however, that registration is necessary as class size is limited. |
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My Journey Through Madness
A fascinating story in the New York Times, about how attorney and law professor, author and MacArthur Genius Grant winner Elyn R. Saks has spent her life dealing successfully with schizophrenia.
It's also a review of her book, The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness
Read the article.
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Custody Relinquishment and EPSDT
by Toni Hoy
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law calls it "barbaric." NAMI calls it "unthinkable." We call it the Devil's Deal. Custody relinquishment for mental healthcare. That's the politically correct name. In some circles, it has become so accepted, it doesn't even have a negative connotation. Trading custody rights for mental healthcare. Even the most desensitized government workers cringe when hearing it phrased this way. It is easy to discount the tragedy by failing to look at the consequences.
The state of Illinois has wrongly robbed us of custody of our son, Daniel, since April 2008, in exchange for residential treatment which is medically necessary. But on November 3, 2010, Collins Law, Naperville, filed a federal lawsuit on our behalf to force the state to abide by federal Medicaid law. If we win this lawsuit, we will return to Juvenile Court in Lake County to petition the state to return custody of our son to us.
Read our story
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Notes from the Homeless Count
by Hugh Brady
On Thursday evening January 29, NAMI BA President Joe Jason and I, along with more than 200 other volunteers, participated in the semi-annual homeless count sponsored by The Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County.
At 9 p.m. we fanned out in teams of three to five people, covering shelters, known "hot spots" and other areas where homeless people might be found. Results are still being compiled, but preliminary results show that the unsheltered part of the count found over 150 homeless people living outdoors on that cold January night.
Read more about this year's homeless count.
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Not Out of the Woods
Legislative Alert by Hugh Brady
Even though Illinois passed an income tax increase in January, mental health and other human service providers aren't out of the woods. The State still owes its human service providers, schools and contractors more than $8 billion for goods and services provided in past years.
There is hope. Senate Bill 3 would restructure Illinois debt and raise the funds needed to immediately pay the billions of dollars it owes to the mental health and other service providers, school districts, vendors and contractors. SB3 will also save the state money because the bonds will have interest rates that are much lower than the penalties the state is paying vendors.
We are asking everyone sympathetic to NAMI's goals to call or write their state legislators and ask them to support Senate Bill 3. It narrowly failed in January, so we need just a few more votes to put it over the top.
Learn more in the March Legislative Alert
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A New Column for this Newsletter
In the Trench by Toni Hoy
Introducing a new column for the NAMI BA newsletter. This column will be a regular feature that highlights all of us living and working "in the trench" with mental illness.
My husband and I currently have four great kids. Two are biological children, without mental illness, are grown, and living on their own. We also have two adoptive kids, who together have what we affectionately refer to as, the whole "alphabet soup" of mental illness acronyms. "In the Trench" highlights our son, Chip, who has been stable for 7 years. In the near future, we anticipate becoming resource parents for yet another teen boy.
I hope you take time to check out an article on our youngest boy, Daniel, (Custody Relinquishment and EPSDT, above) who suffers from a severe case of post-traumatic stress disorder due to pre-adoptive trauma. Daniel's disorders are due to severe neglect in infancy. He has been residentially placed for three years, since he was 13 years old. Sadly, the state of Illinois forced us to trade our custody rights for his very expensive trauma treatment, making him a foster child for the second time in his life.
After learning that his treatment has been covered under the EPSDT provision of Medicaid all along, we filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Illinois after they continued to refuse his care. I will share updates on our federal lawsuit as it progresses.
While I am fairly new to NAMI BA, I am no stranger to mental health advocacy. I have been working with state departments and legislators on behalf of my son and other families for about the last three years. I am also connected with many of the county mental health boards, and other child mental health advocacy groups. I am currently working with Senator Susan Garrett on proposals for child mental health legislation in 2011.
I started this month off with a story as it pertains to one of my children, but I'd like to hear snippets from everyone else. Do you have a story of something you tried that worked? Do you have a heartwarming story to share with others? This column highlights those little nuggets of hope, that are sometimes hard to recognize.
Read In the Trench March 2011
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Networking Site Draws on Strengths of Young Adults
StrengthofUs.org is NAMI's online resource center and social networking website for young adults (ages 18-30) living with mental health conditions. It exists to empower young adults to live out their dreams and goals through peer support and resource sharing. We believe every young adult deserves to feel hopeful, supported and encouraged to love who they are.
Developed by young adults, StrengthofUs.org is user-driven, helping young adults to connect with their peers and share personal stories and helpful resources via blog entries, discussion groups, status updates, videos, photos and news.
Check it out.
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The Innocent Man
A book review by Joseph M. Jason
In The Innocent Man, John Grisham looks at what happens when police and prosecutors decide that a local alcoholic and mental illness sufferer must be guilty of a rape and murder. It's the story of Ron Williamson, who spent 11 years on death row in Oklahoma before being freed on DNA evidence.
Many of us at NAMI have family members in the legal system and so I personally found this book hits close to home. I recommend reading it.
Read more about The Innocent Man
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Bad News for Human Services
On Governor Quinn's Proposed Budget - by Hugh Brady
It looks like budget cuts are going to take a disproportionate share of human services funding in Illinois, unfairly burdening those most in need of assistance and costing the state, in the long run, far more than what will be saved. Take a look at these numbers:
· Mental health grants - cut 23%
· Teen parent services - cut 51%
· Homeless prevention - cut 58%
· Child care - cut 37%
· Domestic violence shelters - cut 18%
· Independent living centers - cut 25%
· Circuit breaker - 100% cut, program eliminated
· Aid to the Aged, Blind and Disabled - cut 49%
In addition, under this proposal, there will be a 6% cut in Medicaid, which impacts hospitals, nursing homes, providers of mental health services and others. We must continue to work together to speak out about these cuts.
Read more from Illinois Partners for Human Services
Read an excellent commentary: State must keep commitment to treat mentally ill
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Save the Date
Mental Health Rally for 2011 will be Thursday, May 12
Tired of Illinois' constant budget cuts to mental health programs - 40% over the last 3 years?
Well here's your chance to speak out and join a rally against these cuts. This year's mental health lobby day and rally, sponsored by NAMI Illinois, Mental Health America Illinois and the Mental Health Summit will be held on Thursday, May 12. There will be simultaneous rallies at the Thompson Center in downtown Chicago and on the steps of the state capitol in Springfield. And the Springfield rally will be accompanied by visits to Senators' and Representatives' offices to leave the message in person.
Busses for Springfield will leave around 7:00 AM and return later that same day. Stay tuned for further details, and we hope you will be able to join us for this mega event.
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Frank Ware Passes
Frank Ware, a long-time advocate for the mentally ill and one of the founders of NAMI State in Wisconsin 30+ years ago, passed away during the second weekend of February.
He became the CEO of one of the finest community mental health agencies in our state.
A proper and worthy tribute was extended to Frank by our State Director of mental health, Lorrie Jones. in a long letter. Anyone wishing a copy can call NAMI NW Suburban at 847-899-0195, or e-mail naminwsub@aol.com.
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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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Join NAMI
We hope you'll join NAMI and support our advocacy for the mentally ill. The cost is only $35 (adult and spouse) or $10 (for consumer). If this cost will create a financial hardship, we have a limited number of open door memberships available at a reduced fee. Please register online if possible or download our paper membership form.
If you don't wish to join right now, but you'd like to receive our free newsletter, simply use the "Join our mailing list" button in the blue column to the right.
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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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