Executive Director's Report

By Angela Adkins

You will notice over the coming months a new look to the NAMI Line. Many of you have expressed the wish to have the newsletter online which helps in a couple of ways. As well as obvious decrease in cost of printing and mailing, an online letter also helps us provide important links to other sites for Advocacy, Support and Education. However, we recognize that not everyone has access to a computer so we will continue to mail out hard copies unless you tell us otherwise.

Illinois faces a $13 billion deficit in the upcoming budget year. Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed budget cuts of up to $150 million in Human Services are simply unacceptable. While recognizing that these are difficult times, and money is scarce, it is even more important for all of us to make our legislators aware of some of the misappropriation of the limited funds that are available.

Like the ten year old child whose behavior at school led the principal to insist that the mother take the child to see a psychologist. With no health insurance they were told that it would be three months before an appointment could be arranged. The school insisted something be done so the mother took the child to a GP. Lacking the knowledge of the treatment needed for a ten year old child suffering from a behavioral problem, Prozac was prescribed. Soon after, the child had a psychotic episode, and was hospitalized. Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder it took a further hospitalization to stabilize the child.

Because of a lack of availability of a child psychologist, the child was prescribed a drug that can induce psychotic episodes for those suffering with BP. The state then had to pay for two hospitalizations, the mother missed work, and the child missed school, not to mention the trauma the family endured.

This is one example of thousands of dollars being wasted daily. Every day we hear of stories like this and of other situations that, had they been handled differently, the money saved could have been redirected to better help others in need. We need to advocate to prevent cuts to our already underfunded services, but we also must tell these stories to our legislators to make them accountable for how the funds are being managed. Look for our new Advocacy page on our Website coming soon.

To leave on a more positive note NAMI DuPage has had a very busy start to the year. We are continuing our support programs at Good Samaritan Hospital and Central DuPage Hospital. We continue to have a presence at Linden Oaks Hospital, and in the second half of the year will be in Glen Oaks Hospital. We have done presentations to several thousands of freshmen high school students and teachers, and most recently held training for DuPage County S.W.A.T (Special Weapons and Tactics) team officers and negotiators. We continue to offer Educational Classes and Consumer Aid.

We are looking forward to our Silver Reflections & Beyond Celebration on April 24 and hope that many of you will be joining us in celebrating twenty five years of supporting those that live with a mental illness and their families.

For more information please go to our web site http://www.namidupage.org and see the benefit information further in this NAMI Line.