NAMI offers two free educational programs starting in February
NAMI-Southern Kane, DeKalb and Kendall, an affiliate of National Alliance on Mental Illness, offers two free family educational programs in February: NAMI Basics and NAMI Family to Family. These courses are taught by trained NAMI volunteers and there is no cost to participate. Call today to register.
• NAMI Basics is for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents up to age 19 with mental illness. NAMI KDK and Mid-Valley Special Education Cooperative in St. Charles are co-sponsoring the NAMI Basics Education Program. This six-week series of classes will begin in St. Charles from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays, starting Feb. 13. It will cover information about ADHD, major depression, bipolar disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, schizophrenia and substance abuse disorders; coping skills such as handling crisis and relapse; basic information about medication use in the treatment of mental illness in children; listening and communication techniques; problem solving skills; and an overview of the mental health and school systems' roles in treating children with mental illness. Child care will be provided by Mid-Valley.
• NAMI Family to Family classes are provided for family members, friends and significant others of individuals living with major depression, bipolar disorder-manic depression, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, panic disorder and obsessive, compulsive disorder, co-occurring brain disorders and addictive disorders. Classes are structured to help caregivers understand and support individuals with serious mental illness while maintaining their own well-being. This 12-week program will meet from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, starting Feb. 18 in Geneva.
National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation's largest grass-roots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. It advocates for access to services, treatment, supports and research and is steadfast in its commitment to raise awareness and build a community for hope for all of those in need.
For more information and to register for either class, call the NAMI KDK office at (630) 896-6264 or email to education@namikdk.org.