NAMI CCNS Webinar Library

Check out all of our past webinars covering a wide range of topics surrounding mental health.

Destigmatizing Schizophrenia: A Comprehensive Overview of its Diagnosis and Management

Presented by Dr. Matthew Filippo

Aired April 17, 2024

Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder that impacts several aspects of an individual’s life. How do genetic, environmental, and neurobiological factors contribute to the development of schizophrenia? This webinar discusses the common symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and current treatment options available for schizophrenia. How does this disorder affect a person’s quality of life and what strategies can be implemented to support patients with schizophrenia in their daily lives? Explore the impact of societal perception and stigma surrounding schizophrenia.

Bipolar 101

Presented by Dr. Juliet Spelman

Aired March 13, 2024

This webinar will help anyone who is interested to know what bipolar disorder is and start to be able to recognize symptoms in themself or someone else. Recognizing the symptoms is key to intervening in a positive way for a better long-term outcome.

This webinar, Anxiety 101, frames anxiety in its evolutionarily adaptive context, breaks down its various components (i.e., physiological, cognitive, and behavioral), highlights ways in which it shows up in everyday life, and provides practical considerations for adaptively coping with it.

New interventions often take 15–20 years to become standard in medical care. BUT, there’s exciting news! In January, Boston Children’s Hospital unveiled a groundbreaking solution to provide instant treatment for mild and moderate cases of Anxiety, ADHD, Depression, and Disruptive Behavior Disorder. Parents, this is a game-changer! Pediatric providers can now prescribe Guided Self-Management Toolkits, empowering you to actively participate in your child’s immediate treatment. No more endless calls to find an available therapist or psychiatrist.

Do you ever wonder how brain function is measured? Or how to determine when someone is experiencing actual memory loss vs. a brain fart? This session will introduce you to neuropsychology and the measurement of related constructs, such as memory and attention. The listener will learn when an evaluation is needed, how it is conducted, and how that will benefit the person with respect to treatment.

A prerecorded webinar followed by an interactive Q&A addressing: the extent of the problem and its documentation in literature; routine clinical practice and early death; the various causes leading to such a label; the approach to take from the time a patient comes for help; Relevant and efficient evaluation should lead to effective treatment; consequences of inadequate treatment to patient, family, society; future directions.

After watching this presentation, you will:
• Understand the three parts of Medicare.
• Know what Medicare pitfalls exist and how to expertly avoid them.
• Be ready to make major Medicare decisions.
• Be knowledgeable about any costly penalties and how to steer clear.

What is the National Alliance on Mental Illness? Who can obtain their services? What services are provided? During this informal webinar, you will hear from a former NAMI CCNS Program Director, Nancy Susman, as well as our current Program Director, Bri Hoekstra who will spend time digging into the details of the programs NAMI CCNS offers. They will provide detailed descriptions, allow you to get a feel of which programs are most beneficial for you or your loved one, and how to obtain specific services.

This non-legal talk will cover various aspects of Social Security disability law and programs. Attendees will learn how Social Security evaluates claims, and Mr. Rabin will provide practical tips on how to prepare a strong case for the Social Security Administration. The aim of the discussion is to demystify the application and appeal process, empowering individuals to protect and assert their rights under the Social Security Act. Audience participation is encouraged, and materials will be provided for note-taking and reference.

For more than two decades, Bonnie has worked privately with families dealing with mental health issues. She has counseled individuals and families as they successfully navigate the maze of care and resources available for young and older adults. Helping families in times of crisis is her mission and her passion. Bonnie is currently a member of the NAMI CCNS legislative committee, the North and Northwest Suburban Housing Task Force and the Legislative Committee. Bonnie also sits on the Healthy Minds Healthy Lives Coalition through Thresholds and the Mental Health Summit.

The presentation includes a discussion of the housing crisis, lack of supportive and affordable housing for people with disabilities, mental health and/or substance abuse issues and how to navigate the system.

This presentation examines when to pursue guardianship, the various types of guardianship, who may act as a guardian, the duties of personal and estate guardians, and the limitations of guardianship. This presentation will also examine what happens when a guardianship proceeding becomes contested.

Long-term care planning is essential for seniors and individuals who have a disability, many of whom require long term care at some point in their lives. This type of care can be expensive, and without proper planning, it can quickly deplete an individual’s savings and assets. This presentation will be a very general outline of long-term care and other Medicaid planning strategies that can help individuals protect assets for themselves and their family, while still qualifying for public benefits and assistance paying for long term.