Join us in our life-changing FAMILY to FAMILY class.

What is Family-to-Family?

Family-to-Family is free 12-week educational course designed specifically to parents, siblings, spouses, teen-age and adult children and significant others of persons dealing with mental illness…taught by trained family members with the lived experience. Over 115,00 family members have graduated from this national program.

The 2 – 1/2 hour class meets for 12 consecutive weeks, and each week’s topic builds on the previous topics covered. Therefore, it is important that participants try to attend each class.

If family members are in crisis and feel the need for support, we would encourage them to attend one of our Family Support Groups before taking the Family-to-Family educational course.

We usually offer this course in February in Evantson, March in Northfield, June in Skokie, and September in both Park Ridge and Northfield.

This Winter-Spring we offer classes on

• Saturday mornings from Feb 11 – Apr 28 (or May 5), 9:00 – 11:30 am, at the Evanston Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave, Evanston.
• Wednesday evenings from March 7 – May 30 (off Mar 28), 7:00-9:30 pm, at New Trier Northfield High School, 7 Happ Rd, Northfield.

The Illinois Mental Health Collaborative (of the Illinois Department of Human Services) has just put out a brand new updated Consumer and Family Handbook. Be sure to check it out as a handy and useful resource for Mental Health Issues:

CLICK HERE for a link to the Booklet

SUNDAYS at ONE – A Welcoming  Social Group for Young Adults with Mental Illness – Fun, Comfortable and Sponsored….

The next meeting is NOV 20th at Northbrook Court – 1:00 pm. See below for details….

Contact CHRIS for more information and to let the gang know you’ll be there:  847-220-0199 OR cjj312@comcast.net

THE WALK – A RECAP……

The first annual NAMI CCNS 5K walk on Sunday October 23 was a great success! More than 100 people came with their children and dogs, and we raised more than $23,000 (well in excess of our goal)! It’s great that the community is recognizing the importance of the work we do!

Kudos to Patricia Caine and the other members of her Walk Coordination team, Mary Rose Cavanaugh, Nancy Carstedt, Helene Rhodes, John Schladweiler, Adele McCarty, and Brian Rootberg. Despite the little time that they were given, they arranged for everything needed and made sure that the walk went smoothly.

The walk started at Blue Star Memorial Woods on the corner of Harms and Lake in Glenview. It was brisk at starting time, but Dunkin Donuts provided much needed coffee. Sue Roberts, President of the New Foundation Center, treated walkers with donuts.

Co-presidents Pat Rodbro and Sandra Shovers welcomed the walkers and explained what NAMI CCNS does and hopes to do. Hugh Brady, President of the Board of Directors of NAMI Illinois, was nice enough to visit and tell us about important new legislative developments affecting mental health care in Illinois

Junior and Senior Peer Leaders from Regina High School led walkers through warm-up exercises and then used their very positive energy to lead the other walkers on a path extending through Blue Star Memorial Woods, Glenview Woods, Harms Woods, and back.

The walkers, wearing free T-shirts promoting NAMI CCNS, were of all ages, from toddlers to grandparents, and even some dogs sported NAMI CCNS T-shirts. Everyone was in great spirits and had a wonderful time seeing old friends and making new ones.

After the walk, there was Grecian chicken from Johnny’s Kitchen and Tap and bruschetta from Gusto Italiano Ristorants to eat on paper plates provided by Foodstuffs. Music provided by 101.9fm THE MIX heightened the festive atmosphere.

All in all, the walk lived up to its name: Raising Awareness About Mental Illness With Every Step.

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To see ALL THE PICTURES – CLICK HERE

Our fearless leader and friends start the walk!

NAMI CCNS WALK – SUNDAY OCT 23rd 2011 – WE’RE ON!
RAISING AWARENESS at EVERY STEP!

TOMORROW – SUNDAY OCTOBER 23rd, Blue Star Memorial Woods Park at the corner of Lake Ave and Harms in Glenview – ENTRANCE off LAKE AVE ONLY.

8:00 am – CHECK- IN
9:00 am – WE WALK!

FOR MORE INFORMATION – Please see our website at www.namiccns.org or click below!

Please support us! Please join us! It’s not too late!

Please be a part of this great event: RAISE AWARENESS! RAISE HOPE! REDUCE STIGMA! RAISE FUNDS!

You can really make a difference for hundreds and hundreds of people.

Please join us on this walk or support a walker/team as generously as you can. NAMI changes lives. You can too!

PRINT THIS FLYER TO POST OR FOR REFERENCE! Please share it generously! CLICK HERE!

Join us in our life-changing FAMILY to FAMILY class.

This is specifically for adults who take care of family members who have a Mental Illness or Brain Disorder: perhaps your young adult child, or your sibling, or your parent, or any other relative who is a dear and important part of your life.

YOU ARE INVITED to a PUBLIC

“IN OUR OWN VOICE” PRESENTATION – Saturday June 18th

See hope and recovery in action!

Dr. Genevieve Thornton and Dr. Miri Arie again present their groups. Both doctors have spoken to a NAMI CCNS group in the past. Some of our members have greatly appreciated their skills. (They have no affiliation with our organization.)

January 16: New SociAbility Social Thinking Groups Begin

Do you know some young creative playwrights?  This could be an amazing opportunity:

Announcing the 2011 VSA Playwright Discovery Program Call for Scripts

The VSA Playwright Discovery Program invites middle and high school students to take a closer look at the world around them, examine how disability affects their lives and the lives of others, and express their views through the art of playwriting.
Playwrights may write from their own experience or about an experience in the life of another person or fictional character. Scripts can be comedies, dramas, or even musicals—be creative! Young playwrights with and without disabilities are encouraged to submit a script. Entries may be the work of an individual student or a collaboration by a group or class of students.

The winning play will be professionally produced or staged at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The winning playwright receives $2,000 and a trip to Washington, D.C., to view his or her work on stage. All submissions must be received by April 15, 2011, for consideration.

Download the official rules and procedures here.
Download the official application here.