Members - we need you there to vote on our officers and approve our budget. Members and friends...it's a great opportunity to find out how much the chapter has accomplished this year - what 2008 will have in store - and to touch base with old friends (and make some new ones)!

See you there!

Monday, November 5. Evanston Northwestern Health Services sponsors an Open Mic Night for consumers who have musical/writing talents. 7 PM at the Pick a Cup Coffeehouse, 1813 Dempster, Evanston IL. No charge, no registration.

Monday, November 12. NAMI CCNS invites you to How to Avoid and Manage Crisis Situations. Do you know the warning signs that a loved one is heading for a crisis? Are you prepared to handle it? Two experts from Thresholds will discuss identifying the warning signs, what you can do to avoid a crisis, how you should respond, and what you can do to keep other family members from being traumatized. No charge, no registration. 7 – 8:30 p.m.at the Kenton-Knox Conference Center at Rush North Shore Medical Center, 9701 N. Knox, Skokie. (Park in the lot on the left side of the street. Enter the building through the revolving door and follow the signs to the Conference Center.) Call 847-716-2252 for details.

Tuesday, November 20. NAMI Barrington Area board meeting in the Barrington Area Library, Zimmerman Room, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. (Note the room change - November only.)

Thursday, November 29. NAMI Barrington Area annual meeting in the Barrington Area Library, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. It's a great opportunity to touch base with old friends, make some new ones and find out what's going on in the chapter. Members - we need you there to vote for our officers and approval our budget!

Every Monday in November, the NAMI Northwest Suburban Connections consumer-to-consumer (peer to peer) support group will meet from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Alexian Center for Mental Health, 3350 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 114, in the large group room. The group is open to all adults with mental illness and is free of charge. Pre-registration is not needed; folks can just show up. Call Star at 847-899-0195 for details.

Monday, November 5. 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.

Monday, November 5 and 19. 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.

Tuesday, November 6. NAMI Barrington Area Chapter family support group, 7 – 8:30 p.m. at the Barrington Area Library, Zimmerman Room. (Note the room change - November only.) No charge, no reservation needed. Call Mary at 847-381-6919 for information.

Thursday, November 8. 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.

Tuesday, November 13 and 27. 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, November 14. 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, November 15. NAMI McHenry County Chapter family 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.

Wednesday, November 21. 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.

Monday, November 25. The NAMI DuPage Chapter's parents with children with a mental illness support group meets the 4th Monday of the month at 7:30pm at the NAMI office. (No charge, no reservation needed.) Call 630-752-0066 for information.

We will begin a new session on Wednesday nights, January 23-April 9, from 6-9 p.m. at the Northwest Community Mental Health Network, 901 Kirchoff Road, Arlington Heights.

We also plan to offer a session in Barrington.

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."

There is no cost to participate, but registration is necessary as class size is limited.

I am honored that the Board of Directors of NAMI Barrington Area has chosen me to be the new President of our chapter.  I will do my best to live up to their expectations and hope that together we will be able to make next year even more successful than this year has been.  To do that, it will take the combined effort, not only of the Board of Directors and our facilitators and teachers, but also of every member of NAMI BA.  If you’re not sure how you can help, please join us at our annual membership meeting on November 29.  I hope to see all of you then. 

I would also like to thank our outgoing President, Marci Suelzer, for getting NAMI BA off to such a good start.  I think we have had a very successful first year, and much of the credit for that goes to Marci.  She got us started, got us incorporated, got our papers filed with the IRS so that we can officially become a non-profit organization.  She also oversaw our celebrations and fund-raising activities, and the creation of our by-laws and initial policies.  Without her help I think we might still be floundering around trying to get our chapter rolling.  Marci will still be on the Board of Directors of NAMI BA and I know we will continue to make good use of her ideas, legal knowledge and her expertise, and of course her marvelous sense of humor. 

Through the generosity of Patrick Rodgers of the Social Security Administration and the NAMI South Suburban chapter, we will begin running a series of 10 articles explaining the fundamentals of the system from an insider's point of view.

This month, Part One: Social Security Fundamentals and Part Two: Why Social Security Works.

Visit the Job Ministry website

Dear Fellow NAMI members,

I am writing to ask for your help. "Canvas" has opened in Chicago and New York. Inspired by my own childhood growing up with a mentally ill parent, "Canvas" has received rave reviews in both Variety and Rolling Stone magazine. If the film does well in its limited run, it will stay in the theater and spread to other cities across America - combating stigma. Unfortunately, the distributor does not have money for TV or radio ads so we are relying on you to help spread the word and encourage people to come see the film. Below is a link with all information, reviews, etc. Kind regards, Joseph Greco - writer / director 'Canvas'

6710 North is a privately supported residential program for adults 18-30 with special mental health care needs. It provides an innovative, recovery-focused community with individualized, comprehensive mental health care services, including supported employment placement, a community scholar program, socialization support, health and well being services, medication management, independent living skills training and peer support. Contact Jay Forman at Thresholds in Chicago for details. 773-572-5350 or jforman@thresholds.org. Read a brochure on the 670 North program.

A free online tool, Direct2Housing.org, has been launched to help connect low-income residents with supportive housing services in metropolitan Chicago. The site has been developed by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago to assist people in various at-risk populations who face a critical need for housing assistance. It's the only database of its kind nationwide. Over 200 different housing programs have already joined. Visit Direct2Housing.org.

It was standing room only at our October 17 meeting of the the Northwest Suburban Task Force on Supportive Housing for the Mentally Ill.  We and the legisators who attended heard heart-rending stories from audience members and mental health service providers about the need for housing in our community, and it seems to have had an impact.

Right now our biggest needs are for those willing to help with fundraising, publicity and to help with organizing social events. But if there are other ways that you would like to help or would just like to be more involved with the group, please call.

Call Maryrose at 847-382-6623.

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