About Executive Director's Report
by Angela Adkins
Welcome to this additional NAMI Line.
There is so much going on at the moment that we felt the need to publish this
additional NAMI Line. The year has got off to a wonderful start with two full
Family-to-Family classes, a Basic class, three new support groups and a
second WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) class. Thank you to all the
wonderful teachers and facilitators who volunteer their time so generously.
Please see our overview of services on Page 4 for dates, times and locations.
We have our annual General meeting coming up on Tuesday, March 15th at
6:30 PM at the Wheaton Park District with guest speaker Sherri Schneider to
speak on Benefit programs. Many of our members always want to know more
about these programs. This is also a great opportunity to meet your NAMI
DuPage board members and staff and have your questions answered.
We are also very proud to announce that both our “Recovery Connections
Hospital Program” and our “Ending the Silence School Program” have been
selected out of over 100 applications to be showcased at this year’s NAMI
National conference. Both of these programs have enjoyed huge growth over
the past few years. Because of the Hospital recovery program, NAMI
literature is now in over 28 Illinois behavioral health hospitals, and many
enjoy NAMI Nights for families and patients on the psychiatric units, where
patients and their family members hear stories of hope and recovery by
consumers and family volunteers.
“Ending the Silence” is an interactive 50-minute program developed by NAMI
DuPage and presented primarily in high schools by family volunteers and
consumers. Through power-point, videos, and personal testimony, students
learn signs of depression and other mental illnesses and how to get help. This
program reached over 8,000 students last year. If you haven’t already
booked your conference tickets, now is the time to do so.
As always we are in touch with our local and state legislators to get them to
understand that cutting Human Services is not an option, and that the limited
services already being offered cannot, and must not, endure further cuts. The
more we can talk to them about our personal situations, the more
knowledgeable they are about the problems. I encourage all of you to write
or call your legislators to make sure they are truly getting the whole picture.
Lastly we are busy planning our 26th Annual Benefit which takes place on
Saturday April 16th. This year’s theme is the “Magic of Music”. This promises
to be a magical evening of fun and fellowship while making it possible for
NAMI DuPage to continue to serve the DuPage County community.
Remember, NAMI DuPage is about people who care, people who understand,
people who teach, people who listen, people who want to improve lives, and
people who want to fight mental illness and win. Visit our website at
www.namidupage.org to learn more.