Welcome to NAMI-DKK's first email newsletter!
NAMIDKK is looking forward to improving our ability to communicate with everyone that cares about people with mental illness. In recent years improvements in treating mental illness have been encouraging. There have been more conversations about mental illness in the media than ever before. Well known people have come forward to say that they have struggled with a mental illness. The legislatures passed laws in the national as well as state forums that improve health care for people with mental illness. These are positive signs that we are making progress.
There is still a long way to go. We are all a part of a team that fights the stigma, educates the public, and never gives up in the fight to make life better for all that have a mental illness. We are glad that you are a part of our team.
Whether you are a consumer, a family member, a service provider, a friend or someone that cares we want to inform you, encourage you, inspire you, but also involve you. We need to know more about you and what you need in order to improve lives of those with mental illnesses. Please let us know when you see things in our newsletter that need improvement, need correction, or new things that need to be included. You can make this a way to communicate with everyone in our community. We welcome your input.
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Dinner Raffle at the Herrington Inn
The Honorable Timothy Q. Sheldon recognized with award
Following pleasant conversation and a delicious dinner donors to NAMI-DKK listened attentively while Janet Hasz of the Supportive Housing Providers  Association in Chicago shared the previously disappointing yet possibly hopeful situation of housing for people with mental illness. The hope comes from the knowledge that the state of Illinois faces choices that leave little room for indecision. After years of trying to ignore the situation, Illinois may be forced to find a better solution than putting people with mental illness into nursing homes. Ms. Hasz encourages everyone to contact their legislators to push for fully funding supportive housing services. Jim McNish awarded the Honorable Timothy Q. Sheldon with the Advocacy Award for his leadership in forming the Alternative Mental Health Court in Kane County, developing its organization and creating a special kind of environment
that works.
The Mental Health
Courts strategy is to reduce the number of mentally ill that are caught in an
unending cycle of homelessness, hospitalization, jail, etc. by directing
individuals to treatment versus incarceration.
The result reduces the load on the local law enforcement
organizations and jails resulting in better results for the individual and a
substantial reduction on load to those organizations. NAMIDKK thanks Judge Sheldon for profound and significant contributions to
the cause of the seriously mentally ill.
A raffle drawing concluded the evening including a first prize of $500. Winners did not need to be present to win. This was the 7th annual Dinner for NAMI-DKK and the board would like to thank all those involved in making the evening a success.
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Consumer Corner
Calling all consumers!
We would love to have contributions for our newsletter from Consumers that would like to share personal stories, poetry, ideas that have helped you make it through the rough times, or any creative work. If you would like to contribute visual art please contact Nina for details on how to do that. How do you feel about the word "Consumer"? That is the word used by NAMI to indicate a person with a mental illness. Does that word work for you? Do you have an idea for another word that might indicate who you are, yet do it in a positive way? Let us know what you think. Please send your ideas to Nina and she will pass that information on to our Board for consideration. Back to Top |
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Coming Events
March and April events
March 27, 2010 9:30 am NAMIDKK Annual General Meeting and preview of a documentary called When Medicine Got It Wrong. Dunleavy-Walsh Room upstairs in the Provena Mercy Behavioral Health Building
1325 N Highland Ave in Aurora
Discussion, refreshments, and time to socialize will follow
No charge - no reservation needed
April 12th, 2010 - Monday 5:30 pm NAMIDKK Board Meeting Location: Mental Health Board Room, 400 Mercy Lane, Aurora, IL Time: 5:00PM Meal/Committees, 5:30 Meeting Please call the office for more information (630) 896-6264. |
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Parity Law Takes Affect in 2010
Group health plans can no longer discriminate
A new law states that insurance providers in group health plans of over 50 employees cannot provide less coverage for mental health care than for the treatment of medical/surgical problems. In the past deductibles and co-payments could be higher for mental health or substance abuse services than for physical conditions such as heart disease or cancer. The new law applies to insurers that provided both mental health and medical/surgical health care plans. These plans are usually provided by employers. The rules do not apply to the individual insurance policies that are sold directly to individuals and families. The Obama administration issued new rules in January that were written by and that will be enforced by three government agencies. The rules enforcing the parity law will take effect on July 1st of this year. NAMI National will be putting in a place a webpage to track
information from consumers and families on how the new law is working. |
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NAMI National Convention
Celebrating the Fourth
In Our Nation's Capital!
What better place to celebrate the Fourth of July than in our
nation's capital! Washington's celebration of Independence Day - known
locally as A Capitol Fourth -- opens with day-long performances on the
National Mall by some of the country's top musicians and ends with a
spectacular fireworks display over the Washington Monument accompanied
by a live performance by the National Symphony Orchestra. And, it's ALL
FREE! (The line-up of performers hasn't been announced yet but we'll
share it with you as soon as it is.)
We've planned our 2010 NAMI Annual Convention program to end on the
evening of July 3rd (with our annual banquet) which gives you all day
on the Fourth to enjoy the sights and sounds of one the country's best
celebrations. And, the Hilton's discounted NAMI convention hotel rates
of $155/single and $165 double are good through July 6. So, make your
travel plans now and join us in Washington, DC!
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When Medicine Got It Wrong
When Medicine Got It Wrong was produced by PBS and will
have its broadcast premiere in May as part of National Mental Health
Month. The film will be shown at the NAMI national convention this
summer, and the producers have generously made it available to local NAMI
affiliates to show in advance of public broadcasts. The film documents how, in the 1970s, a small group of parents
rebelled against then-popular psychiatric theories blaming schizophrenia on bad
parenting. Their activism helped revolutionize treatment forever and
their stories reveal the origins of the tragic state of mental health care
today.
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Mental Health Lobby Day
Mark your calendars!
Wednesday, May 5 is a day for action.
The Mental Health Summit, an umbrella group of mental health service providers and advocacy groups, including NAMI Illinois, has tentatively set this year's mental health lobby day for Wednesday, May 5. Early plans call for two simultaneous rallies, one in Chicago and one in Springfield. The Springfield rally will also include time for participants to meet their legislators in person and make the case for protecting mental health services and fixing Illinois broken budget system.
The Summit plans to provide busses to Springfield from several Chicago area locations. Stay tuned for further details.
Can't make it to Lobby Day? Find out how to contact your elected officials in our Resources section.
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Educational Program
Helping schools reach out to children with mental illness
Phyllis Graeser, Carol Klopp, Heather Nelson and Rich
Salazar have launched the "Parents and Teachers as Allies" educational
presentation to teachers, parents, nurses, social workers, etc. We presented in
September to a group of student nurses from NIU. We are scheduled to present at
Congregational United Church of Christ on Fox Mill Blvd in St. Charles on April
11, 2010 from 4:00pm-6:00pm. See attached flyer.
"Parents and Teachers as Allies" focuses on helping school
professionals and families in our communities better understand the early
warning signs of mental illnesses in children and adolescents and how best to
intervene so that youth with mental health treatments needs are linked with
services. It also covers the lived experience of mental illnesses and how
schools can best communicate with families about mental health related
concerns. We are contacting schools in our area hoping to present at teacher
in-services next year. For more information email Carol Klopp at caklopp@sbcglobal.net.
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Kane County Leads the Way
KANE COUNTY TASK FORCE ON MENTAL HEALTH 2009
In 1998 the Kane County Mental
Health Task Force was formed as a direct result of a terrible tragedy that
occurred to the Piazza family of the Aurora Townships in 1996 when a mentally
ill son shot and killed his father and his brother. The feeling was that we needed in Kane County some sort of
overall plan to deal with these issues in a manner that would reduce or prevent
reoccurrences of such a nature and at the same time provide services to
individuals that were not getting appropriate help.
The result of two years of work was
the production of the 2000 Kane County Mental Health Protocol, which was a
pioneering work essentially the first in the state because of its scope and was
a leader in the country such that on its release there was considerable demand
from around the state and the country for copies. One of the unique features of the Protocol is that every law
enforcement agency in the county and all the relevant service organizations
that provide care signed off on it.
After the introduction of the Kane
County Mental Health Alternative Treatment Court it was felt that the existing
Protocol needed to be revisited and updated. As a consequence 37 individuals participated for almost
three years in the creation of a new Mental Health Protocol for Kane
County.
The new 2009 Mental Health Protocol
reflects the most current changes in legislation and is based on experience
gained to improve the guidelines for the interrelationships that are necessary
between care giving organizations, law enforcement, and the judiciary. The Protocol makes specific reference
to some of the new legislation that has been implemented in the last 12 months
and also emphasizes the need for police training relative to how to deal with
seriously mentally ill individuals whom they come into contact with and have to
make an assessment as to how to go forward with the situation they are
presented with. It also includes a
Mental Health Protocol Coordinating Committee that meets quarterly under the
leadership of Chief Judge F. Keith Brown to:
· Review
all existing systems, approaches and procedures, and policies relative to the
seriously mentally ill who are in crisis and in touch with the judicial system
· Create
and improve mental health intervention, education and services
· Have
periodic reviews in order to insure that the level of cooperation and
collaboration is as desired
The combination of the experience
gained with the first Protocol and the issues that were generated when it was
implemented combined with the experience gained with the new Alternative
Treatment Court has allowed Kane County to produce a Protocol that represents
the best practices that are in use in the country. Back to Top |
Mental Health Council
Message of the Month
Feb 2010
The Kane County Mental Health Council presents a monthly message discussing many issues concerning coping with mental illnesses. In February they started a series of articles which will explore some of the myths that have been a part of our culture for many years. The series is called : Debunking Childhood Mental Health Myths. The February message addresses blaming parents for a child's mental illness and expecting the schools to diagnose and treat mental illness. Back to Top |
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StigmaBusters Alert
How Recent Movies are Portraying Mental IllnessNAMI's Stigmabusters program has concerns about two recent movies. One of them makes people with mental illness look dangerous and the other movie uses the stereotype of people with mental illness as an enemy that needs to be destroyed. If you would like suggestions about how to use these movies as a teaching moment in your community, they have some at the NAMI website. They also discuss how to communicate with the movie makers about ways that they can help reduce stigma. |
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THIS ARTICLE IS REPRODUCED FROM NAMI BARRINGTON'S NEWSLETTER
Illinois' Budget Crisis Worsens
Legislative Update - by Hugh Brady
It may be hard to believe, but Illinois' budget problems continue to get worse. As short a time ago as the last issue of News and Notes from NAMI Barrington Area, Illinois' budget shortfall was being projected at $11 billion. Now estimates are in the $13 billion range. That means Illinois will take in $13 billion less in taxes than it would have to spend to keep state programs funded at current levels. That deficit is out of a total budget in the $30 billion range.
There are solutions to the problem - read more.
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NAMIDKK
Vision Statement
VISION: NAMI-DKK is dedicated to the eradication of the stigma of mental illness by
improving the quality of life of all those striving for mental health wellness.
NAMIDKK
Mission Statement
MISSION: The mission of NAMI-DKK is to advocate, educate
and support persons, family members and communities dealing with mental health
issues
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Support Groups
NAMI-DKK FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS
(No charge, no reservations needed)
These support groups provide relevant information, valuable
insight, and the opportunity to engage in support networks. The groups are lead by family members
that have been trained in classes provided by NAMI Illinois.
Aurora:
The Aurora Support Group will meet on the 3rd Tuesday of
the month, from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Place: The McDermott room, Provena Mercy Hospital (lower level),
in Aurora.
DeKalb:
This support group is not currently meeting. Please contact
our NAMI-DKK office at (630) 896-6264 for the latest information.
St. Charles:
This
support group meets on the first Thursday of the month at
7 p.m. at The Congregational
United Church of Christ, 40W451 Fox Mill Blvd. St. Charles, IL. To get there, go west on Route 64 to
Fox Mill Blvd. and turn left. The
church is south of Fox Mill on the left.
The entrance is on the south corner from the parking lot. To register, please call Lynette at
630-584-7481
NAMI-DKK CONNECTIONS RECOVERY GROUPS
(No charge, no reservations needed)
Currently the NAMI-DKK Connections Recovery Groups are not
meeting.
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OTHER AREA SUPPORT GROUPS
KENDALL COUNTY SUPPORT GROUPS:
The Kendall County Health Department provides the following
support groups lead by mental health professionals. For further information please contact the KCHD Admissions
Coordinator, Rhonda at (630) 553-9100 X8053
·
Life Strengths: Peer
Support for those dealing with chronic mental illness.
·
Understanding your
Diagnosis: Family support and for those individual(s) working towards mental
health recovery.
. Dual Diagnosis Group: Treatment for those individuals
addressing both substance abuse and mental health issues.
NAMI DUPAGE COUNTY SUPPORT GROUPS:
NAMI DuPage has several support groups that are open to
anyone no matter where you live.
There is no charge for these groups. To find out more about these groups and where they meet you
can go to: http://www.namidupage.org/support/support-groups
NAMI BARRINGTON SUPPORT GROUPS: NAMI Barrington has two family support groups that are open to
anyone no matter where you live.
There is no charge for these groups. To find out more about these groups and where they meet you
can click on this link. Back to Top
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Resources
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Volunteer Opportunities
Do you want to help?
NAMIDKK would love to be doing more but there is just not enough time in our days to do everything we think of. If you have an hour or more to help us out we would be glad to hear from you. For some things you do not even need to come into our office to help. If you can help us returning phone calls we will provide training and resource materials. If this is something you would like to do, please contact Elaine at 630-377-1563 or epmulligan@hotmail.com.If you can spend close to 10 hours per week for the next 3-4 weeks we could use your help updating our handbook resource information. You could do much of it from home or possibly the public library. Your help as volunteers would increase our ability to help improve the quality of life for individuals with mental illness and their families. We need: a grant writer, a publicity coordinator, speakers bureau volunteers, help line call takers, dinner/raffle help, more people for our educations programs, someone to join NAMI National's Stigma Buster Alert program, people to help update resource information, as well as newsletter submissions. Back to Top |
Membership BECOME A MEMBER OF NAMI DEKALB, KANE SOUTH & KENDALL COUNTIES
NAMI DKK is a nonprofit organization affiliated with NAMI - The National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Membership includes: Membership in Illinois and National NAMI
NAMI National's publication Advocate (quarterly)
NAMI Illinois' publication Stateline (quarterly)
NAMI DKK CARES email Newsletter (monthly) New members receive a welcome packet and our NAMI-DKK Handbook (when available). Please complete the information below and mail your check or money order to NAMI-DKK 400 Mercy Lane, Aurora, Illinois 60506 Name:___________________________ Address:_________________________ City:_____________Zip:_____________ Telephone (s):_____________________ Email (s): ________________________ Individual: $30/year _______ Advocate: $100/year _______ Lifetime: $500 _______ Written Newsletter Only _______ ($10 suggested donation) Open Door $3/year _______ (Those with limited means/fixed incomes are invited to join at this reduced rate) Donation Only $ _______ Total Enclosed: $ _____________ Note: Membership and donations are tax deductible. Back to Top
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Forward This Newsletter
PLEASE PASS THIS ON
If you know someone that might benefit from getting this newsletter you can use the link below to forward this newsletter to them. If they enjoy it and want to get it all the time they can subscribe, but only if they want to. They will not be automatically put on our mailing list. The newsletter is a great way to keep up with what is going on with NAMIDKK, find resources, and learn about ways you can help.  Back to Top |
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About Us
NAMIDKK can be reached by
phone: 630-896-6264
fax: 630-896-6365
email: info@namidkk.org
mail: 400 Mercy Lane
Aurora, IL 60506
website: namidkk.org
NAMIDKK is an affiliate of a national network of NAMI groups all over the world. The national website
has many resources for both consumers and families, educational
information about mental illness and treatments, and the latest news
concerning our issues.
NAMI Illinois is the state organization
that can direct you to local events and groups as well as keeping us
updated about what is happening in our state. The state website also has resources and links to other organizations.
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NAMIDKK Board of Directors
Phyllis Graeser - President Nina Finch - Vice President Jack Hazel - Vice President Walter Deuchler - Treasurer Mary Ihnenfeld - Secretary Suzanne Deuchler Denise Edwards Marlene French Bethany Genenbacher Regina Harris Jim McNish Elaine Mulligan Richard Salazar Betty Schoenholtz Jennifer Wilcox Legal Advisor: Alschuler, Simantz & Hem, LLC - Jan OPittman, Legal Assistant Accountant: Borhart, Spellmeyer & Co. Back to Top |
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