WHAT:           Stars of Light traveling theater troupe
WHEN:           2:00 PM, Sunday, October 12, 2008
HERE:            Harper College
                        Building J Theater
                        Parking in lots 4 & 5
COST:            Free (but donations will be gladly accepted)

The performance is sponsored by a group of area NAMI chapters including NAMI Barrington Area, NAMI Cook County North Suburban, NAMI Elk Grove-Schaumburg, NAMI Hanover Twp., and NAMI Northwest Suburban.  

Click here for more information or here to RSVP to this event.

Wednesday, October 1, 7:00-9:30p.m.  "NAMI Basics: The Fundamentals of Caring for You, Your Family and Your Child with Mental Illness."  At New Trier Northfield, 7 Happ Road.  Free! Register early by calling NAMI CCNS at (847)716-2252.

Saturday, October 4, 10a.m.  NAMI of McHenry County will host its 5K Walk for Mental Illness Awareness.  100% of the walk proceeds are used to fund NAMI’s programs, to increase mental health awareness and to reduce stigma of mental illness.  At Veteran Acres Park, Jaycee Pavilion, 431 North Walkup Rd., Crystal Lake.  No registration fee!  Free t-shirts for the first 100 walkers who register!  Please register online or contact Cindy at cratchford@sbcglobal.net with questions.

Saturday, October 4, 2:30 – 5:00 p.m.  Psychiatric Update for the People of Chicago, supported by the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychiatric Foundation.   Lectures include “Fatal Flaws: An Introduction to Personality Disorders” by Stuart C. Yudofsky, M.D.;  “The View From Washington: Making Mental Health Policy” by Kenneth S. Thompson, M.D.;  “Depression in Minorities: Not Just the Blues” by Altha J. Stewart, M.D.; “Understanding Alcohol and Drug Abuse” by Petros Levounis, M.D.; “Thinking Outside the Box: Treating Depression in Children” by David Fassler, M.D. At the Adams Ballroom, Sixth Floor, Palmer House Hilton, 17 East Monroe Street.  No charge, no registration. 

Saturday, October 4, 5:00 – 7:00p.m.  The Irwin Foundation, the Depressive and Bipolar Support Alliance of Greater Chicago, and Thresholds are co-hosting Celebration Recovery at the Palmer House Hilton to honor people in recovery from mental illness and to recognize those who provide encouragement and support.  It will be a fun-filled evening of performances, exhibits, music, art, presentations and more!  Free!  No registration!  At the Palmer House Hilton, State/Grand Ballrooms, 4th floor, 17 East Monroe, Chicago.  In addition, they are also looking for people who would like to give a performance, submit their artwork, exhibit or give a short recovery story. If you, or others you know, are interested in participating in any way, please contact Joan from the Irwin Foundation directly at: Jkcinhouse@aol.com or 216-408-9015.  

Tuesday, October 7, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. Alexian Brothers Center for Mental Health presents a free screening of the award-winning film Canvas, which depicts a  mother's schizophrenia through the eyes of her young child. At the Hoffman Estates High School Auditorium, 1100 W Higgins.  Refreshments will be served.  We invite the general public, but specifically local mental health advocates, to join us. No charge, but please RSVP to Bob Marovich at (847) 952-7432.

Wednesday, October 8, 8:00am - 12:00pm.  Northwest Community Hospital presents:  "Moving towards Recovery:  Understanding Mental Health Recovery for Professionals, Consumers and Families."  Registration is required.  Admission is free.  Presented by Dr. Edward Knight and Nanette Larsen in the Northwest Community Hospital Auditorium, 800 W. Central, Arlington Heights.  Call Ronnie Schweitat at 847-618-4072 to register.

Wednesday, October 8 at 7:30 p.m., a Candlelighting for Mental Illness will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, 1624 E. Euclid in Mount Prospect. The featured speaker will be Ms. Rita Rippentrop, a therapist who is also outreach coordinator for Alexian Brothers Interfaith Parish Support Services. She will be speaking on "Facing the Stigma of Mental Illness."  Uniting in prayer with people of various faiths everywhere, a brief candlelighting devotion will conclude the evening. The community is warmly invited. For further information, please call Pastor Peter Hellstedt at 847-824-7408.

Saturday, October 11.  The authors of Divided Mind, Pamela Spiro Wagner and Carolyn Spiro, will be the featured speakers for Mental Illness Awareness Week sponsored by NAMI DuPage.  They are twin sisters – Carolyn is a Harvard trained psychiatrist and Pamela has schizophrenia – and authors of "Divided Minds: Twin Sisters and Their Journey Through Schizophrenia".  At the College of DuPage Student Resource Center, Room 2800. Call 630-752-0066 for information.
                                                                                                                         
Sunday, October 12, 2:00pm.  To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, NAMI and the Harper College Access Disability Services present Stars of Light.  The traveling theater group will perform their original production featuring vignettes about mental illness, personal stories and music by actors with mental illnesses.  Sponsored by NAMI ElK Grove-Schaumburg, NAMI Northwest Suburban, NAMI Northern Cook County, NAMI Hanover Townships, and NAMI Barrington Area.  At Harper College, Palatine, J Building Theater -- Park in lots 4 & 5.  Free! Donations appreciated!
                                                              
Wednesday, October 15 and continuing Wednesdays through November 19, 7-9pm.  NAMI Basics is a free course for parents and caregivers who have a child 17 years or younger affected by a brain disorder.  Trained family members, who have firsthand experience with the rewards and challenges of raising children with brain disorders, discuss several topics.  Parents who complete this course (formerly called "Visions for Tommorrow") describe this class as life changing.  Free, registration required.  Contact NAMI of DuPage (630) 752-0066, ex 210.

Friday, October 17 – Sunday, October 19, all day.  NAMI Illinois sponsors the 2008 Mental Health Educational State Conference: From Discovery to Recovery.  Dr. Suzanne Vogel-Scibilia will give the keynote address on Friday at 11am:  “Below the Neck: Physical Health & Mental Illness.”  Several interesting breakout sessions throughout the conference.  Registration and fee required, meals included in the fee.  Visit NAMI Illinois for more information and to register or call (217) 522-1403.

Wednesday, October 22, 7:30pm.  Mike Pollard, therapist, returns for Part II of his well-received April presentation of "Addictions Converging" at NAMI Northwest Suburban.  We meet at Alexian Bros. Center for Mental Health, 3350 Salt Creek Lane, Arlington Heights.  Free!  Refreshments will be served.  Call Northwest Suburban NAMI at 847-899-0195 with questions.

Wednesday, October 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!

Sunday, October 26, 2:00 p.m. The Chicago Archdiocesan Commission on Mental Illness is sponsoring a mass in celebration of the lives of people with mental illness, their families, friends and health care providers. At St. Josaphat Catholic Church, 2311 N. Southport, Chicago. For information call Connie Rakitan at 708/383-9276 or Deacon Tom Lambert at 773/525-0453 x21.

Thursday, November 13, 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, November 18, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. NAMI Barrington Area Annual Membership Meeting in the Barrington Area Library, Large Meeting Room B. Members and friends: we need your input on next year's plans plus (members) input and approval of next year's budget. There will be a special guest speaker, Tom Lambert, the head of the Chicago Archdiocesan Council on Mental Health and former president of NAMI Illinois, as well. We hope you will join us for a chance to meet old friends, hear the latest information on mental health, and be a part of NAMI Barrington Area's plans for 2009.  

NAMI Barrington Area would like to invite you to our monthly support group - for family, partners and friends of people with mental illnesses (or "consumers" of mental health services). This month it will be on Tuesday, October 7 at the Barrington Area Library. (Call Mary at 847-381-6919 for information.)

Support groups can be very helpful, especially for those going through a crisis. There are a number of groups meeting in our area for consumers as well as family members and friends. These include:

Every week in October, the NAMI Consumer Connections support group meets in four locations in the northwest suburbs. For adults 18 and over with any type of mental illness. No charge/no registration: Mondays 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. Call Star at 847-899-0195 for details. Tuesdays 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Kenneth Young Center, 1001 Rohlwing, Elk Grove. Call Mary at 847-895-382 or Michelle at 847-524-2690 for information. Fridays 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. 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. Saturdays 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. at Lutheran General Hospital, 1775 Dempster, Park Ridge. Call NAMI CCNS for details at (847) 716-2252.

Every Monday, the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance support group meets in Arlington Heights from 7.30 to 9.00 p.m. It's open to people living with depression and bipolar disorder and their family and friends. No charge. Contact Leah at mrsn@comcast.net or (847) 541-7754 for information and location.

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 Thursday, the NAMI DuPage chapter's Peer Recovery support group meets from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at Good Samaritan Hospital, 3815 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. (No charge, no reservation needed.) Call 630-752-0066 for information.

Thursday, October 2. 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, October 6. 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, October 6 and 20. NAMI Greater Chicago consumer support group meets twice monthly (usually the first and third Mondays), 2:30 - 4 p.m. at their offices, 1536 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, October 7. 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, October 8. NAMI Greater Chicago family support group meets monthly (usually the second Wednesday), 7 - 9 p.m. at their offices, 1536 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, October 9. 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.

Thursday, October 9. The NAMI CCNS support group for caregivers of children with mental illness meets the second Thursday of the month (except August) from 7:30 - 9 p.m. at the Kenilworth Union Church, 211 Kenilworth Ave, Kenilworth. Call 847-716-2252 for more information.

Monday October 13 and Thursday, October 16. 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 2nd Monday at the NAMI-McHenry County offices, 333 Commerce Drive, Suite 900A, Crystal Lake at 7:00 p.m., and 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.

Monday, October 13 and 27. The NAMI DuPage Chapter's parents with children with a mental illness support group meets the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month at 7:30 pm at the NAMI office, 2100 Manchester Road, Bldg. B - Suite 900, Wheaton. (No charge, no reservation needed.) Call 630-752-0066 for information.

Tuesday, October 14 and 28. NAMI DuPage Chapter family support group, meets the second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at the NAMI DuPage office, 2100 Manchester, Building B, Suite 925, Wheaton.(No charge, no reservation needed.) Phone 630.752.0066 or email: il@namidupage.org for information.

Wednesday, October 15. NAMI Hanover Township family support group meets the third Wednesday of the month from 7 - 9 p.m. at Downey Hall, 250 S. Route 59, Bartlett, IL. Call 630-736-2823 for details.

Wednesday, October 15. 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, October 16. 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.

Friday October 17 . The NAMI CCNS support group for caregivers of children with mental illness meets the third Friday of the month (except August) from 9:30 - 11 a.m. at the Wilmette Public Library, 1242 Wilmette Avenue, Wilmette. Call 847-716-225 for more information.

Saturday, October 18. The NAMI DuPage Minds in Motion social group (18 - 20-something) meets the third Saturday of the month. Visit NAMI Dupage or phone 630-752-0066 for location and time.

If you or someone you love has been touched by mental illness, it’s a great idea to attend the Illinois NAMI convention, coming up at the Hilton/Lisle on October 17-19.  The convention speaks to consumers, family members, and professionals – it’s a great place to learn what is new in the field of mental health.  Here’s why I think you should go:
           
First, you will meet people who care about those affected by brain disorders.  Consumers will tell you their stories and talk about their successes and challenges. Their life experiences are what this convention is all about.
           
Second, family members will talk about their advocacy and how it has helped them cope.  They will share what NAMI offers family members and what visions we have for the future.
           
Third, professionals will educate you about the advances we can look to in treatment. These professionals will be interacting with the consumers and family members so they can learn about the true needs of people affected with a brain disorder.
           
You will have the opportunity to attend seminars that can enlighten you about the relationship between mental illness and physical health.  You can listen to our legislators discuss what we can do about the lack of funding for mental illness in Illinois.  You’ll find out what a “psychiatric dream team” is all about!  You can also learn about advance directives and how they are used within the mental health system.  Hear about housing, homelessness, medication adherence, and legal issues.
           
Best of all, there will be an awards dinner one evening and then dinner in the ballroom with live music the next evening.  You will meet and learn from people who really care about the mental health of our society.
           
I will be attending the convention again this year because I always come home feeling inspired about the future and about how successful people can be in recovering from mental illnesses.  Seeing consumers be active participants in life and experiencing the pride family members show is truly remarkable.
           
Please join us for as many hours as you can at the NAMI state convention, “From Discovery to Recovery.”  You can go on the NAMI Illinois website to register or get further information.  Whether you are or are not able to attend, please come back next month and read my column for my take on the convention’s highlights.

Enjoy the colors of autumn!
Carol Ziolo

We sometimes blame people for not accepting treatment, but they may have a medically based condition which causes an inability to comprehend that they are ill.  People with this condition may explain their symptoms using bizarre explanations or may have a strong compulsion to prove they are not ill.

What can you do if you or your loved one may have this syndrome called anosognosia?  This month, I'll share a few ideas.

As of this writing the US Congress is back at work, but there are only three weeks remaining before they adjourn.  So NAMI’s national office and other advocacy groups such as Mental Health America are beginning what everyone hopes will be the final push to get the Congress to pass mental health parity legislation this year. 

We need our leaders in Congress to act now before they adjourn.  So we urge you to contact your US Representative – for most NAMI BA members, this will be Melissa Bean or Mark Kirk – and urge them to vote yes on this important legislation. 

According to Mental Health America, citizen pressure has “provided a powerful voice that has put us in a tremendous position to win this fight.  Your continued involvement can help make it a reality.”

NAMI is hopeful that HR 5772 will be brought to the full House for vote in September.  This would allow the Senate to move forward on the bill before final adjournment.

The warm line is not a crisis hotline, but is a source of support as you recover or help a family member to recover.  We are here to serve you.

· Call: 1 (866) 359-7953 Monday through Friday,  8am-5pm
   TTY: 1 (866) 880-4459
· From the main menu, select option #2 for Consumers and Families
· Next, select option #5 for the Warm Line: Peer and Family Support by Phone.

You may call whenever you need to connect with someone, whether you need support, feel isolated, or need to learn some recovery skills. Some call because they are feeling frightened, sad, or had a great day or wanted to share a success. It is not a crisis line, hot line, referral line or grievance line, but rather a place to talk and be listened to.

Peer supporters answer the calls. They know firsthand the struggles of living with a mental illness. They can share their experience, wisdom, knowledge and empathy to those that call the warm line.

Warm Lines have been shown to be effective in helping individuals receive support and empathy from peers and thereby to deter crisis and reduce the use of professional emergency services. The line serves to help others work through difficult situations, as well as share in positive experiences.

The survey is anonymous, can be accessed from the NAMI Homepage at www.nami.org, and will be up through September 30th. The survey (available in English & Spanish) is open to both NAMI members and non-members. We seek hundreds of responses from every state. Please encourage people on your listservs to share this message with their contacts.

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.

If you can help, call Maryrose at 847-382-6623.

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
Kenneth Young Center, Elk Grove
Ecker Center for Mental Health, Elgin
Lake County Behavioral Health Center
NAMI Help Line (agency referrals): 800-950-NAMI (6264)
The DMH Warm Line offers peer support to mental health consumers and families (MF 8-5) 866-359-7953

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