A Publ icat ion of NAMI Tri -County I l l inois

NAMI Tri-County Illinois is a legal entity separate and distinct from NAMI, Inc.

Find Help. Find Hope. P.O. Box 10167 Peor ia, IL 61612 309 693-0541 www.namitr i -countyi l l inois .org

Helping to meet the needs of people with severe and persistent mental illness and their families in Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties in Central Illinois

June–August 2018

Announcements

Newsletter topic: Planning for the Future for those with Special Needs

Next Education Meeting is June 7—Election of officers and Ask the Profes-sionals Panel (see pp. 3 & 5).

Next Support Group meetings are June 21

Education Meeting, August 2—Special Needs Trusts (see p. 3).

See the Calendar on p. 7 for additional activities

Even if you receive the print version of the Family Forum, you will benefit from going on line (namitri-countyillinois.org) and reading some or all the links to Internet sites. Links expand your understanding of the topic.

The NAMI Tri-County Illinois Family Forum is a quarterly publication. With common use of the Internet, members and friends can find meeting and activity information on our web site as well as on Facebook. We also send out regular email blasts regarding our activities. Contact information:

**Web: namitri-countyillinois.org (click on Contact us at this site to be added to the email blast) **Facebook: Nami Tricounty Illinois

If you prefer to cancel your print subscription of this newsletter, please contact Lila at lgammon1@comcast.net.

NAMI Dues Structure:Household $60 (one vote) Individual $40 Open Door $ 5

Joining NAMI includes National, State, and Local organizations and all the publications and resources available from each. See mem-bership form on p. 12.

NAMI RELEASES NEW CRISIS GUIDE

Go to https://namiillinois.org or https://nami.org/ to download this comprehensive guide.

NAMI is proud to release Navigating a Mental Health Crisis: A NAMI Resource Guide for Those Experiencing a Mental Health Emergency. NAMI developed this guide to support people experiencing mental health crises and their loved ones.

This potentially life-saving guide outlines what can contribute to a cri-sis, warning signs that a crisis is emerging, strategies to help de-escalate a crisis and resources available for those affected. Also in-cluded is information about advocating for a person in crisis along with a sample crisis plan.

When a person has a mental health condition, the potential for a crisis is never far from mind. Crises can occur even when a person is in treatment. Unfortunately, unpredictability is simply the nature of men-tal illness.

So, it’s important to address a mental health emergency quickly and effectively. People with mental illness—and those who care for them—need information. However, that information is not always readily available and the search for answers may require more energy and persistence than possible. And unlike other health emergencies, people experiencing mental health emergencies often don’t receive instructions or materials on what to do or what to expect after a crisis.

That’s why we created this guide, so people experiencing mental health emergencies and their loved ones can have the answers and information they need when they need it.

June–August 2018 Family Forum Page 2

Educational Opportunities

NAMI Family to Family Class Please call to register for the next class

Parents, spouses, friends, or adult children of people with mental illnesses are invited to participate in the next 12-week

There is no charge for this NAMI signature program. Participants will learn valuable in-formation to help them understand and support an ill relative while maintaining their own wellbeing. Please call 309 693-0541 for information or to register for this class.

NAMI Peer to Peer Class Please call to register for a 2018 Class

The next class will be held when there are sufficient num-bers to offer it. Please call 309 693-0541 to express interest, ask questions, or register. This class has been redesigned as a 6-week class rather than a 10-week class. You must be 18 or older, have a psychiatric diagnosis, and have someone with whom you can talk about any issues/problems the classes un-earth. The classes teach about various mental illnesses, tell how different medications function, help create a relapse pre-vention plan, and start toward the creation of an advance medi-cal directive. The class will be facilitated by Dean and Larry. There is no charge for this NAMI signature program.

NAMI Basics Education Program Please call to register for the next class

This course is for parents and caregivers of children and ado-lescents with mental illness. Basics is taught by parents who have lived similar experiences with their own kids and have received training to teach the course. The class covers the biol-ogy of mental illness, treatment, school interventions, and the latest research as well as the trauma of brain disorders for the child and the family. If you are interested in this class, please call Beth at 251-5830. There is no charge for this NAMI signature program but registration is required.

Also, check out www.NAMI.org "Basics" video on You Tube for further description of the course.

Inside this issue NAMI’s New Crisis Guide .................................. 1

Announcements .................................................... 1

2

Lincoln Prairie Behavioral Lunch & Learn Series 2

Report of Education Classes................................. 2

President’s Letter.................................................. 3

Education Meetings .............................................. 3

With Sympathy & Thank You! ............................ 4

Slate of Officers ................................................... 5

OSF Behavioral Health/Tech ............................... 5

Important Contact Information, Resources ......... 5

Book Review; Cure for Stigma ........................... 6

NAMI Board, Phone Numbers ............................ 6

Calendar ............................................................... 7

Planning for the Future, Special Needs ................ 8—10

Chess in the Labyrinth .......................................... 11

Membership Form ................................................ 12

NAMI Members Speak Out On 4/18/18, Beth Lawrence and Lila Gammon participated in Depression and Suicide Awareness Week at Limestone Com-

munity High School by setting up a table with literature as well as encouraging students to play Mental Health Jeopardy. Candy

incentives help!

On 4/26/18, Karen Rose attended the 2018 Mental Health Con-

ference in Annawan, IL, sponsored by the Henry County Men-tal Health Alliance and distributed many of our new brochures.

Lincoln Prairie Behavioral Health Center 2018 Lunch & Learn Workshop Series

Lunch will start at 11 a.m.; workshop will start at 11:30 and end at 1 p.m. Registration is REQUIRED.

July 20—QPR Gatekeeper Training/Suicide Prevention (Hult Center for Healthy Living)

Location: Hult Center for Healthy Living – 5215 N. Knox-ville Ave., Peoria, IL 61614

Sept. 21—Effects of Parental Substance Addiction on Young Children (Julie Eaton /CHAIL)

Location: Tazewell County Justice Center – 101 S. Capitol, Pekin IL 61554

Nov. 16, 2018 – TBD

To register, jherzog@tchd.net or (309) 925-5511 ext. 266.

Reports of NAMI Education Classes The Basics Class is now completed and nine certificates were granted. A special time in this class is when parents connect with others in similar situations and their interactions take on an animation that adds to the dynamic of the class. One couple from the Basics class has joined NAMI. This class was taught by Beth Lawrence and Carol Berger.

The Family to Family class is ending soon. Fourteen people have participated. Positive feedback has been given. Class par-ticipants especially appreciated the guest speaker who spoke on her journey with mental illness. Participants value the com-radery in the class and are reluctant to have the class end for fear of losing the bond that has developed. Rachel Knapp and Gay Knapp have taught this class.

Teaching these classes requires a serious commitment of time; we appreciate those who dedicate themselves to helping others.

We invite class participants to come to our monthly support groups the third Thursday of each month.

June–August 2018 Family Forum Page 3

Letter from the President

Dear Members and Friends,

While mental health conditions are facts and sometimes challenges in our lives, we also look forward to so many other life experiences. The Lawrence family celebrated one of these with the wedding of our son in May. What a happy occasion on a beautiful day as family and friends gathered, witnessed the vows of a new husband and wife and partied

afterward. What fun to build memories!

On to our affiliate business: In our last issue I spoke of our board members. There’s an account I must change. We have Kim Modglin back. Her family’s plan to move away from Illi-nois has changed and Kim has retaken her position on our board and she’s welcome back. We’re expecting new additions with our upcoming elections. See p. 5.

In our recent first Thursday education meetings, we’ve wel-comed some new-to-us presenters from our local professional community. Their participation is vital to the programs we of-fer. From the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Dr. Kyla Nighohossian, Resident Psychiatrist, addressed the huge topic of schizophrenia, answered questions and connected well with our audience. We hope to bring her back. Cheryl Crowe, Director of Behavioral Health for OSF Healthcare Systems let us in on some new and existing programs through OSF. See article on p. 5. Joe Croegaert, LCSW, of Chapin and Russell Associates, joined Roger Mohn for the discussion following the showing of Silver Linings Playbook. Joe’s involvement and expertise as a counselor were most helpful. A warm thanks to each of you.

Do you, as much as I do, look forward to learning what may become available to enhance the understanding and treatment of such debilitating conditions as depression and others? The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation issues a quarterly magazine that does just that. In its March 2018 publication, there’s an account of a 51-year-old man named Bruce who had suffered from treatment-resistant depression for 30 years. He’d tried 20 medications, electro convulsive therapy (ECT), count-less hours of counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to no avail. Bruce was referred to a research study at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Western Psychiatric Institute. An analysis of his cerebrospinal fluid found him to be missing small molecules of BH4, essential in the forming of neurotransmitters. Our body’s metabolism manufactures neuro-transmitters, those message-carrying chemicals such as seroto-nin, dopamine and norepinephrine that regulate our moods. A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) doesn’t work when there is insufficient serotonin to redirect. In Bruce’s course of oral treatment with a synthetic BH4 replacement, he knew within a few days that “something was happening.” His was an immediate and drastic improvement with his cognitive functioning and initiative improving rapidly. How long will it be until this analysis of metabolic abnormalities and subsequent treatments brings relief to many more? Our bodies are amazing in their intricacy.

Happy summer to all.

Beth Lawrence

Education Meetings First Thursday of most months, 7:00—8:30 p.m.

Location: ICC North, Poplar Hall, Room 127

June 7, 2018

~~Election of Officers~~

Ask the Professionals Panel

Helping Families Cope with a Violent Culture—this program will help educate parents/other caregivers on how to identify and respond when a child or teen is struggling to cope with the violence they see/hear about.

Panelists:

• Derrick Booth is the Director of Social and Emotional Learning for the Peoria Public Schools. He helps kids by teaching life skills in the classroom and by helping them cope with life outside the school walls.

• Luke R. Dalfiume, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist is co-owner of Christian Psychological Associates, Peoria. Luke provides therapy services for children, adolescents, and adults. He treats Anxiety Disorders, Mood Disorders, Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders, and Trauma. He has been practicing since 1991.

• Walt Nunnally, Counselor, MA, NCC, LCPC, CADC, MISA, works with high school students at Washington Community High School and at Morton High School as well as having a private practice at The Counseling Place in Washington, IL. He has over 25 years of experience working with families, children, adolescents, and adults.

• Mike Predmore will bring a parent’s perspective to this panel. He lost a college-aged son to suicide. Mike is on a mental health subcommittee for the Hult Center for Healthy Living, Peoria.

• Stephanie Seidl, MHP, is an Assistant Clinical Coordina-tor with the Children's Home Association of Illinois. She oversees the SASS (Screening, Assessment and Support Services) Crisis Team. She also serves as a Co-Facilitator for the Community Crisis Team and serves as a certified trainer for Youth Mental Health First Aid.

July 5, 2018

No Education Meeting; enjoy the holiday

August 2, 2018

Topic: The Importance of Planning Ahead: Special Needs Trusts

Speaker: William C. Connor, Attorney at Law, PC

Mr. Connor has practiced law in Central Illinois for over 30

years. He has represented legal issues of many disabled chil-dren and disabled adults.

issues, drafted special needs trusts and living trusts, and repre-sented the educational rights of disabled students and of the elderly with diminished capacity.

June–August 2018 Family Forum Page 4

Thank You! Donations Roger & Ila Bradle

In Memory of Douglas Brown Brian & Dorothy Bortell In Memory of Alan Campbell

Anthony & Suzanne Babovac Judith Campbell Gordon & Marilyn Cundiff Sharon Giovoni Allen & Eileen Hahn Mr & Mrs. Jack Hennefent David S. Joseph Stephen & Greta Kelly Ron & Ann McClain Dan & Angie McLaughlin Bob & Sue McQuellon & Family Janice Palmatier Bill & Mary Lou Ryan Marjorie Schwebel Dolores Sheen Mervyn & Elizabeth Swanson Mark & Cathy Tissier Esther Webber Marion & Lynne Westerfield

In Memory of David Price Craig & Danielle Ayres John Ayres Rick & Rose Ayres Richard & Nancy Bettler Rick & Marcia Ewing Tom & Karen Frazier Dick & Anna Garman Jenny Khairallah William & Melinda Kortkamp John & Becky O’Conner Angie Oltman Suellyn Peck Susan Price Tom & Sue Price Charles & Kelly Puent Don & Donna Shippy Roy & Julie Singley Grant Svendsen Doris Swearingen

In Memory of Scott Urbanc Terry & Sandra Post

Note of Appreciation Thanks to Illinois Central College for allowing our organiza-tion to use rooms on the North Campus for both our education meetings and support group meetings. We sincerely appreciate the use of these fine facilities. Thanks, also, for the use of a classroom on the East Peoria Campus

Thanks to Mt. Olive Missionary Church, 5718 N. University, Peoria, for the use of a classroom for the Basics class.

Thank you to EPIC for printing and mailing out the Family Forum and for printing other NAMI documents. We appreciate your assistance.

NAMI Movie Night, A Success

We had at least 50 people watching Silver Linings Playbook at the Landmark Cinemas on May 3. It went well for our first such event. It was a powerful movie, dramatic, as you would expect from Hollywood, with some coarse language; but, over-all, it was a good movie depicting mental illness situations.

Joe Croegaert, LCSW, from Chapin & Russell Associates, Peoria, was there to answer questions professionally following the movie. He did a great job of explaining some situations in the movie as well as leading a discussion. We appreciated his assistance. Several active NAMI members were also present.

We look forward to hosting another movie night in the fall.

Volunteering for an Important Cause: Letters Against Depression

Kim has become involved with this volunteer opportunity and she recommends it to others. This is another way to help those who suffer with a mental illness. The website is www.lettersagainstdepression.com ; check it out!

From the website: We have a simple, but robust mission: to help people afflicted with depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. We accomplish this by hand-writing letters of Hope and Support, spreading the message that "You are not alone" and that "You matter."

You may only request a letter for yourself. Requests for friends or family are not accepted for privacy/legal rea-sons. You can tell as little or as much about yourself as you wish; however, the more you reveal, the more personal and unique your return letter will be.

If you become a Hope and Support letter writer, you must handwrite the letters, have legible handwriting with good grammar skills, and pen upbeat and positive letters that communicate a message that “You are not alone” and “You matter.”

You may make a monetary donation or a contribution of supplies including cards that have been drafted using your artistic abilities.

Details are on the website for each of these opportunities.

With Sympathy We extend sincere sympathy to the family and friends of David Price in his death on April 20. His wife Susan Price has been a long-time member of our local NAMI affiliate. Thank you for choosing NAMI Tri-County Illinois as the charity to honor David’s memory.

June–August 2018 Family Forum Page 5

Important Contact Information

Local NAMI Information 309 693-0541

www.namitri-countyillinois.org

NAMI IL – State Headquarters 1-800 346-4572

http://namiillinois.org

National NAMI Helpline 1-800 950-6264 http://nami.org

Hult Center for Healthy Living 309 692-6650

www.hulthealthy.org Heartland Community Health Clinic

309 680-7600

UnityPoint Health—Methodist Community Behavioral Health

309.672.4103

Children’s Home 309 685-1047

National Suicide Hotline 24-Hour Hotline

1-800 273-TALK

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

212 363-3500

Survivors of Suicide 309 697-3342 309 208-3027

Police – all counties Emergency Response Service:

Peoria County Woodford & Tazewell County

911

309 671-8084 309 347-1148

Human Service Center Tazwood Center for Wellness

309 671-8000 309 347-5579

VA Suicide Hotline 1-800 273-8255

Crisis Intervention Resources Youth: CARES (Crisis and Referral Entry Services);

1-800 345-9049 CARES is Statewide and will assess eligibility for SASS (Screening and Assessment Referral Services)

24-hour crisis lines: Nat’l Suicide Lifeline: 1-800 273-8255 Peoria County ERS: 309 671-8084 Tazewell & Woodford Counties: 309 347-1148

Dial 2-1-1 for a non-emergency number that connects people with essen-tial community information and services: food, shelter, counseling, mental health, employment, elderly, children & families

If the individual is at risk: Contact the police department for an initial response. The police will contact ERS when the situation is secure.

If individual safety is not a concern: Contact ERS at 309 671-8084 ~ TTY Line: 309 671-3566. You will be asked for some brief information to assist our response.

Medical Detox: 309 689-3080

800-273-8255

Veterans Crisis Line

OSF Behavioral Health and Technology Report of April Education Meeting

Often we hear of people who have mental health needs that haven’t been addressed. However, there are some services available in Peo-ria for which many of us were not aware. OSF’s Behavioral Health Navigation Link will help individuals:

understand what kind of behavioral health care they need

get connected to available community resources

problem solve barriers to obtaining needed services

understand their insurance coverage and benefits information

Call 309-308-8150 to schedule an appointment.

Depression, stress, anxiety and panic are emotional issues that can easily become overwhelming and ultimately debilitating. OSF has launched Silver Cloud, an online tool designed to provide easy and immediate access to a digital therapy program that can be used at home A Psych Navigator keeps an eye on the online communica-tions and contacts the person using this ap if they see any alerts.

Another tech addition to the field of behavioral health is tele-psychiatry. In places where health care is hard to reach, tele-medicine has been introduced. Due to a less-than-adequate number of available psychiatrists, services have been contracted from other parts of the country to meet the need in this area. It’s different, and some like it better!

Cheryl Crowe is the Director of Behavioral Health for the OSF Healthcare System. Cheryl was the guest speaker at our April Edu-cation meeting. She’s enthusiastic about these and other programs offered, including partial hospitalization and a Trauma Recovery Center. Consider OSF Behavioral Health Services.

Text for help with Depression or Suicidal Thoughts

Text 741741 when feeling depressed, suicidal, or needing someone to talk to; a crisis counselor will respond. It’s a FREE service.

#TellSomeone #savingLivesMatters

Election of Officers for NAMI Tri-County Illinois

June 7, 2018, 7:00 p.m. ICC North, Poplar Hall, Room 127

Slate of Officers

President: Beth Lawrence, 1-year term Treasurer: Roger Mohn, 1-year term

Secretary: Debra Shaw, 2-year term Directors: Larry Fordham, 1-year term Karen Rose, 2-year term New Directors: 1-year initial term: Cheryl Crowe, Director of Behavioral

Health, OSF Kirsten Guiliano, Lead Behavioral

Health Navigator, OSF Tony Johnson, Coordinator of Commu-

nity Training for Spiritual Care, UnityPoint Health Proctor

June–August 2018 Family Forum Page 6

Book Review

Breaking The Silence: The Stigma of Mental Illness

Review from amazon.com

Imagine being blamed for having cancer. It’s unthinkable! But whilst physical illness usually evokes a positive, sympa-thetic response, people frequently react to mental illness in a dismissive, alienating, even scornful manner. No one who is mentally ill should ever feel the need to apologize for it. But too often, fear and ignorance lead to a sufferer being margin-alized and ostracized by friends, neighbors, family and work colleagues. Despite mental health disorders being so com-mon—one in four people will suffer from mental illness at some point in their life—it continues to carry a social stigma. The consequent loss of jobs, friendships and marriages com-pounds emotional pain, adds to the sense of shame, isolation and desperation and makes recovery more difficult. SANE (to which all profits from this book will be donated) and oth-

er charities worldwide are campaigning vigorously to change public attitudes, helping to inform about mental health issues and making it more acceptable to speak about them. Brazilian author, Paulo Coelho, wrote: ‘Each person knows the extent of their own suffering...’ In this book fifteen courageous people of varying ages, nationalities and backgrounds tell us insightfully, openly and honestly in their own words about the distressing, stark reality of living with mental illness. And their experiences reveal the immensely damaging impact of others’ reactions. By the time you have finished reading these heartfelt and powerfully-expressed stories you will be better able to understand what it’s like to have mental health difficulties.

Cure Stigma—a NAMI Campaign

In 2018, NAMI will promote the theme of "CureStigma" throughout all awareness events.

Why this cause is important: One in five Americans is affect-ed by mental health condi-tions. Stigma is toxic to their mental health because it creates an envi- ronment of shame, fear and silence that prevents many people from seeking help and treatment. The perception of mental ill-ness won’t change unless we act to change it.

Campaign manifesto: There’s a virus spreading across Ameri-ca. It harms the 1 in 5 Americans affected by mental health conditions. It shames them into silence. It prevents them from seeking help. And in some cases, it takes lives. What virus are we talking about? It’s stigma. Stigma against people with men-tal health conditions. But there’s good news. Stigma is 100% curable. Compassion, empathy and understanding are the anti-dote. Your voice can spread the cure. Join NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Together we can #CureStigma.

N A M I Tri-County Illinois (309) 693-0541

Officers President ............................. Beth Lawrence Vice President ..................... Craig Stanford Secretary ................................. Debra Shaw Treasurer ................................. Roger Mohn Editor .................................... Lila Gammon

Directors Larry Fordham John Mayfield Kim Modglin Karen Rose

Family Support Group Facilitators Lila Gammon Gay Knapp Marjorie Schwebel Suzanne Spears

Larry Fordham Dean Harris John Mayfield

Family to Family Class Instructors Dianne Geiss Roger Geiss Gay Knapp Rachel Knapp Bruce Leman Roger Mohn

Peer to Peer Class Instructors Larry Fordham Dean Harris

Becky Dorman Beth Lawrence

For any subject matter of interest or suggestions, please call Beth 309-251-5830 or Lila 309 648-5420

Princeton, Illinois

NAMI Family Support Group For family members and close

friends of individuals living with mental health conditions

4th Tuesday of each month

6:30 -8 p.m. Perry Memorial Hospital

3rd Floor White Oak Classroom

530 Park Ave. E Princeton IL 61356

Free to the public

Call NAMI Tri-County Illinois 309-693-0541 for questions

A family support group that has been meeting for a year in Princeton has become a NAMI Family Support Group. A NAMI Tri-County Illinois member couple has completed the NAMI training class and has made some changes to this Princeton group to follow NAMI’s practices.

June–August 2018 Family Forum Page 7

NAMI TRI-COUNTY ILLINOIS CALENDAR OF EVENTS

June, July & August 2018

~~Illinois Central College North, 5407 N. University, Peoria~~ Education Meetings, Poplar Hall, Room 127

Support Groups, Poplar Hall: Family—Room 130 & Connections—Room 131

June Tuesday, June 5, 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 7, 7:00 p.m.

June 21, Monthly Support Groups, ICC North, Poplar Hall; check signs on front door for Room numbers

Family and friends of people with brain disorders. Room 130. For further information call Sue, 309 360-1143.

Connections—individuals participating in recovery. Room 131. For further information call John, 309 472-5907.

Tuesday, June 19 , 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 28, Mood-Challenge meeting at Trinity Lutheran Church, 135 NE Randolph Ave., Peoria, 309 246-8710

July Tuesday, July 3, 7:00 p.m. Thursday, July 5, 7:00 p.m. No

Thursday, July 12, 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, July 17, 7:00 p.m.

July 19 7:00–8:30 p.m. Monthly Support Groups, ICC North, Poplar Hall

Family and friends of people with brain disorders. Room 130. For further information call Sue, 309 360-1143. Connections—individuals participating in recovery. Room 131. For further information call John, 309 472-5907.

Thursday, July 26,

August Thursday, August 2, 6:30 9:00 p.m. Education Meeting, Room 127, Speaker, William Connor, Attorney at Law; Topic: The Im-portance of Planning Ahead: Special Needs Trusts. Tuesday, August 7, 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, August 9, 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 16, 7:00–8:30 p.m. Monthly Support Groups, ICC North, Poplar Hall

Family and friends of people with brain disorders. Room 130. For further information call Sue, 309 360-1143. Connections—individuals participating in recovery. Room 131. For further information call John 309 472-5907.

Tuesday, August 21 7:00 p.m. Thursday, August 23,

Brighter Days Ahead 513 NE Madison Peoria, Illinois 309 222-2012

“Brighter Days Ahead” offers a positive and uplifting environment for people 18 years of age or older who have experienced a mental illness. Its purpose is for members to have a safe place where they can socialize, receive support, and be part of fun, recovery-oriented activities while envi-sioning the brighter days ahead.

Hours of Operation Monday - Saturday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday from 12 noon–5 p.m.

If you have any additional questions, we would be happy to talk either by phone 309 222-2012 or at recoverycenter@fayettecompanies.org

Survivors of Suicide - Peoria http://www.afsp.org/coping-with-suicide/find-support/find-a-support-group/illinois/survivors-of-suicide-peoria

Contact: Rev. Eimo Hinrichs or Mrs. Pat Hinrichs, 309 697-3342 or Sylvia Murphy, 309 208-3027 Meeting Place: Chapel at Proctor Hospital, 5409 North Knoxville Ave., Peoria, IL 61614

Meeting Day(s)/Meeting Time: 1st and 3rd Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. Facilitated by: Peer/Professional Charge: None

June–August 2018 Family Forum Page 8

Social Security For Disabled Children: Benefits You May Not Know About

Ellen struggles with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder, and her parents worry about her future. (Ellen is a real person and gave us permission to tell her story here, but to pro-tect her privacy we are not using her real name.)

Ellen, 24, has had multiple hospitalizations for suicide attempts since she was a teenager. She takes medications, and sees a psychiatrist and a therapist on a regular basis.

She wants to work, but her symptoms cause employment prob-lems. As a result, she has worked at several jobs, but has never earned much money. Ellen is not married and lives with her parents, and her personal life is chaotic. Her parents worry about what will happen to her when they are no longer around, and they especially worry about her medical needs.

When Ellen’s father retired and applied for Social Security re-tirement benefits, he indicated that he had a child who had be-come disabled before she was 22 years old. Ellen applied for benefits as a Disabled Adult Child (DAC) on her father’s earn-ings record. Ellen’s lawyer gathered medical and school rec-ords, obtained doctors’ reports about her condition and her limi-tations, and presented her testimony to an administrative law judge at a hearing.

The judge awarded her DAC benefits because Ellen was able to prove that she is disabled, her disability began before the age of 22, she has not been able to work successfully and she is un-married. Her parents are relieved to have a more secure future in place for their daughter with a modest monthly check and Medicare benefits. Ellen hopes she will be able to work when her conditions are under better control.

Ellen met the requirements for one of three categories of chil-dren who may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insur-ance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Unfortu-nately, not everyone knows about these three different ways your child can receive support which are detailed below.

Adults Disabled Since Childhood To be eligible for disability benefits as a disabled adult child, your child must be older than 18 and have a “qualifying disabil-ity” that began prior to reaching age 22. To be a “qualifying disability” under Social Security rules, the disability must meet all the criteria of a condition that is included in the Social Secu-rity Administration’s “Listing of Impairments” (commonly re-ferred to as the “Blue Book”) or be equivalent in severity to a listed impairment, or an individual must be unable to perform any substantial work for pay because of his or her limitations. The disability must have lasted at least 12 months, be expected to last for at least 12 months, or could result in death.

As a parent, you must also be receiving Social Security benefits due to retirement or disability or receiving benefits from your spouse who has died. Your child must apply for Disabled Adult Children (DAC) benefits on a parent’s account.

The benefits will end if he or she marries, unless he or she mar-ries another disabled adult child.

Low-Income Disabled Children Disabled children whose families have low income may be eli-gible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Childhood SSI is

a program designed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help limited-resource families get the help they need for their disabled children.

To qualify in this category, your child must be under the age of 18 and be either blind or disabled. The disability must result in “marked and severe functional limitations or can be expected to result in death and has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.” Children may be eligible for SSI disability benefits beginning as early as the day they are born up to the age of 18.

Winning a disability case is never easy, and winning SSI disa-bility benefits for a child is no different. The first set of hurdles to overcome involves limits on income and resources. The SSA looks at all income sources available to the child, including parents’ income and stepparents’ income if the child is living with a stepparent and one natural or adoptive parent.

The limit on parental assets is $2,000 for a single parent and $3,000 if there are two married parents. You will be required to present proof of income and resources to the SSA. In terms of income, SSA has a chart (http://bit.ly/ssagovbip) to help deter-mine payable amounts. The formula is complicated and in-volves both earned and unearned income limits; because of this, the simplest solution is to call Social Security.

The second group of hurdles is proving the child’s physical or mental disability. SSA has a collection of medical conditions (the “Listing of Impairments” or “Blue Book” mentioned previ-ously) that generally are severe enough to warrant the immedi-ate awarding of benefits, so long as he or she meets specific criteria. However, proving that your child meets the criteria in the listings is complicated and seldom straightforward.

If your child is approved for SSI benefits, the case will be re-viewed occasionally to make sure that the child is still financial-ly eligible and still has a disability. Once your child turns 18, his or her case will be reviewed again.

Social Security Auxiliary Benefits Many disabled workers who apply for Social Security Disabil-ity benefits believe that they are the only ones in their families eligible to receive benefits from SSA. This is not necessarily the case. In some cases, a disabled worker’s family members, such as their dependent children—whether disabled or not—may be able to receive benefits, as well.

The benefits that are paid to family members are referred to as auxiliary benefits. If a parent, adoptive parent or stepparent is receiving Social Security retirement or SSDI benefits (or if a parent is deceased and was entitled to one of these benefits be-fore he or she died), the child may be eligible to receive auxilia-ry benefits. Family members of those who receive SSI are not eligible for auxiliary benefits from the Social Security Admin-istration.

To qualify for auxiliary benefits, your child must be unmarried and under the age of 18. However, if your child is a full-time student enrolled at an elementary or secondary school, he or she can continue to receive benefits until either graduation or two months after turning 19, whichever comes first. Under auxiliary benefits, a child is eligible for up to 50% of the parent’s month-ly benefit, subject to a family maximum.

Timothy Cuddigan has exclusively practiced disability law since 1994. He regularly speaks on the subject of disability law and is a past president of NAMI Nebraska.

June–August 2018 Family Forum Page 9

contain the "payback" provision found in first-party trusts. This means that when the beneficiary with special needs dies, any funds remaining in her trust can pass to other family members, or to charity, without having to be used to reimburse the gov-ernment.

A pooled trust is an alternative to the first-party special needs trust. Essentially, a charity sets up these trusts that allow bene-ficiaries to pool their resources for investment purposes, while still maintaining separate accounts for each beneficiary's needs. When the beneficiary dies, the funds remaining in her account reimburse the government for her care, but a portion also goes towards the non-profit organization responsible for managing the trust.

Anyone can establish a special needs trust and, if the trust is properly drafted to account for tax planning, in certain situa-tions gifts into the trust could very well reduce the size of the donor's taxable estate. As if these are not enough reasons to create a trust, elderly people who are attempting to qualify for long-term care coverage through Medicaid can transfer their assets into a properly drafted third-party special needs trust for the sole benefit of a person with disabilities without incurring a transfer-of-assets penalty, allowing the elder to qualify for Medicaid and making sure that the person with disabilities is taken care of in the future.

The only way to determine which special needs trust is right for your family is to meet with a qualified special needs planner to discuss your needs.

Article Last Modified: 06/28/2017

How Special Needs Trusts Work A special needs trust provides financial support for your loved

one without jeopardizing government benefits.

Setting Up the Trust

First, you must create the trust document. You do not need a lawyer to set up a basic no-frills special needs trust, and having one that you make yourself is often better than not having a trust at all. Special Needs Trusts, by Steve Elias and Kevin Ur-batsch provides forms and instruction for creating a no-frills special needs trust, without a lawyer. However, many families will benefit from getting a trust tailored to their specific situa-tion. To get a personalized trust, consult a lawyer for help.

In the trust document, the person setting up the trust (usually called the “donor” or “grantor” or “settlor”) places property in the hands of another person to manage the trust (called the “trustee”). Typically, the grantor of a special needs trust names himself or herself as trustee and another trusted person succes-sor trustee. The grantor serves as trustee until he or she dies, becomes incapacitated, or resigns; at that time the successor trustee takes over. Each person who serves as trustee is legally obligated to follow the terms of the trust document to use the property for the benefit of the person with special needs, identi-fied in the trust document (the “beneficiary”).

Finalizing and the Initial Funding of the Trust The trust will take effect when you sign it and have it notarized. Not long after that (when you get the trust’s tax identification number from the IRS), you can add a little cash to the trust by

(Special Needs TrustsCont. on page 10)

What Is a Special Needs Trust? https://specialneedsanswers.com/what-is-a-special-needs-trust-

13601

A special needs trust is set up for a person with special needs to supplement any benefits the person with special needs may receive from government programs. A properly drafted special needs trust will allow the beneficiary to receive government benefits while still receiving funds from the trust. There are three main types of special needs trusts, but first it is important to understand how a typical trust works.

A trust is really a relationship between three parties -- a donor, who supplies the funds for the trust; a trustee, who agrees to hold and administer the funds according to the donor's wishes; and a beneficiary or beneficiaries who receive the benefit of the funds. Often, but not always, the donor's wishes are spelled out in a document that gives the trustee instructions about how she should use the trust assets. Trusts have been used for estate planning for a long time, and are highly useful tools for ensur-ing that a donor's property is administered as he sees fit. One of the reasons trusts are so popular is that they usually survive the death of the donor, providing a low-cost way to manage the donor's assets for others when the donor is gone.

A special needs trust is a trust tailored to a person with special needs that is designed to manage assets for that person's benefit while not compromising access to important government bene-fits. There are three main types of special needs trusts: the first-party trust, the third-party trust, and the pooled trust. All three name the person with special needs as the beneficiary. A "first-party" special needs trust holds assets that belong to the person with special needs, such as an inheritance or an accident settlement. A "third-party" special needs trust holds funds belonging to other people who want to help the person with special needs. A pooled trust holds funds from many different beneficiaries with special needs.

The reason there are several different types of trusts has to do with regulations regarding Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSI is a government program that assists people with low incomes who have special needs. In order to qualify for SSI, an applicant or beneficiary can have only $2,000 in his own name. If the person has more than $2,000 in his own name, (typically because of excess savings, an inheritance or an accident settle-ment), the government allows him to qualify for SSI so long as he places his assets into a first-party special needs trust. While the beneficiary is living, the funds in the trust are used for his benefit, and when he dies, any assets remaining in the trust are used to reimburse the government for the cost of his medical care. These trusts are especially useful for beneficiaries who are receiving SSI and come into large amounts of money, because the trust allows the beneficiary to retain his benefits while still being able to use his own funds when necessary.

The third-party special needs trust is most often used by parents and other family members to assist a person with special needs. These trusts can hold any kind of asset imaginable belonging to the family member or other individual, including a house, stocks and bonds, and other types of investments. The third-party trust functions like a first-party special needs trust in that the assets held in the trust do not affect an SSI beneficiary's access to benefits and the funds can be used to pay for the bene-ficiary's supplemental needs beyond those covered by govern-ment benefits. But a third-party special needs trust does not

June–August 2018 Family Forum Page 10

opening a bank account with a minimal deposit. At that point the trust is ready to be funded through the wills, living trusts, beneficiary designations, or other estate planning tools of those who want to help support the beneficiary with special needs.

Who Can Give Property to a Special Needs Trust Anyone (except beneficiary of the trust) can contribute property to a special needs trust. Although these trusts are most often created by parents for their children, you don’t need any family relationship to create or give money to a trust for someone. And there is no limit to the number of trusts that may be created for a particular beneficiary.

What Types of Property Can Be Held in the Trust Virtually any type of property can be held in a special needs trust, including real estate, stocks, collections, a business, pa-tents, or jewelry. But because the primary purpose of a special needs trust is to use cash to pay for items that aren’t provided by SSI or Medicaid, special needs trusts typically give the trus-tee authority to sell tangible items (cars or jewelry, for exam-ple) to raise cash. In order to decide whether to keep or sell tangible items, trustee will need a good understanding of the beneficiary’s personal needs and basic sound investment rules.

How Assets Get Into the Trust The person who creates a special needs trust often makes the initial transfer of assets into the trust—usually, just a small amount of money. Then, commonly, a parent, grandparent, or other relative leaves property to the trust by: • leaving it through a will or revocable living trust directly to

the trustee of the special needs trust, or • naming the trustee of the special needs trust as a benefi-

ciary on a designation form that controls what happens to a deposit or brokerage account, retirement plan, or stocks and bonds.

Administering the Trust – The Trustee’s Job After the trust is funded, the trustee role becomes critical. The main job of the trustee is to use trust funds to support the bene-ficiary without jeopardizing government benefits. In order to do this, the trustee must have a good understanding about how eligibility works—and he or she must be willing to keep up with the law. The trustee also has many other duties, including paying taxes, keeping records, investing trust property, and keeping up to date with the beneficiary’s needs.

How Trust Assets Can Be Used Trust assets can be used for almost anything that is not illegal or contrary to the terms in the trust. Because the primary pur-pose of a special needs trust is to enhance the quality of life of the beneficiary with a disability,

• caregiving, such as a personal attendant or therapies not

paid for by Medicaid • experiences, such as travel or concerts • services, such as a cell phone, internet, or cleaning service • pet care, such as pet food or veterinarian care, or • things, such as a computer, clothing, or new furniture.

Terminating the Special Needs Trust The special needs trust ends when it’s no longer needed. There are four reasons to end a special needs trust:

(Special Needs Trusts Cont. from page 9) • Trust funds are depleted • The beneficiary no longer needs government benefits • The beneficiary is no longer eligible for government bene-

fits • The beneficiary dies

How to leave Property to a Special Needs Trust If you create a special needs trust for a loved one, you will probably fund the trust substantially after your death. You have several options for doing that, including wills, living trusts, and many kinds of beneficiary designations.

Wills The best-known estate planning document is the will or “last will and testament.” It’s relatively simple to create and you can use it to specify which property you want held in the special needs trust. You can leave almost any kind of property in your will. You can prepare a will yourself, or get help from a lawyer. You can change it or prepare a new one at any time.

Revocable Living Trusts Like a will, a living trust can be used to fund a special needs trust that will become effective at your death. The trust docu-ment lists the trust property that should pass to the trust rather than directly to the beneficiary. A simple revocable living trust works much like a will does to distribute property after your death. But a trust offers one big advantage over a will: Trust property does not need to go through probate court proceedings.

Property that isn’t held in your revocable living trust, or that hasn’t been legally passed some other way, will pass under the terms of your will. It is precisely for this reason that most peo-ple with a living trust also make a will—to handle any property that hasn’t been transferred to the living trust or left through some other means.

Beneficiary Designations You can also use beneficiary designations to leave assets to your special needs trust. You can name beneficiaries on many types of financial accounts, including: • bank and brokerage accounts • retirement plan money (IRAs, 401( k) plans) • securities • certificates of deposit • life insurance

The owner of the funds simply uses a form provided by the fund or securities manager to designate who gets the property upon his or her death. Doing so ensures that the named benefi-ciary—a special needs trust, if you choose—will receive the property without probate.

In some states you can also use a “transfer on death deed,” to transfer real property to a named beneficiary when you die, without probate

To learn more about special needs trust, go to the Special Needs Trusts section of Nolo.com.

This article was excerpted from Special Needs Trusts, by Steven Elias and Kevin Urbatsch (Nolo).

June–August 2018 Family Forum Page 11

The Rooks symbolize the watchers, the observers of both the King’s exterior (the events that occur every day) and his inte-rior thoughts. Their castle walls, composed of reason and logic, safeguard the King, Queen, and Bishops. In concert with his Rooks, the King employs introspection, journaling to explore thoughts and feelings, positive self-talk, meditation, and willpower. As he applies these strategies, his brain pro-cesses information accurately, decides what’s relevant, sets goals, makes commitments for his highest good, and assesses progress. These pieces remind him this situation is temporary and implore the King to exercise patience while marching down the path toward recovery.

The Pawns comprise the fighters on the front line, the ordi-nary men and women who move one step at a time, always forward, never backward, utilizing both the head and the heart, in a quest to mend their King. They represent his friends, coworkers, neighbors, and restaurant servers, who listen, advise, or simply smile. A Pawn can become his Queen. Some may remain ignorant of the King’s struggles but, without trying, lend energy and unspoken compassion. If he elects to trust and confide in them, they may affirm and

enhearten. These pieces include strangers from Internet chat groups, and pets who intuitively comprehend and sympa-thize without expecta-tion. They form a net-work that underlies the interventions of the King’s other team mem-bers and bolsters their probability of success.

The Battle plays out on

cloudy days, with a dis-tant shaft of sunlight, over weeks, months, or

years. The stakes are high. Although the

King’s soldiers work together, he doesn’t require them all—a single Bishop, Knight, Rook, or Pawn, or his Queen, could

suffice to win. He faces a relentless adversary; however, with perseverance and his allies’ aid, he will prevail.

Copyright 2018 by Larry Godwin. Author contact: Iowa-Tiger73@Gmail.com.

Editor’s note: This was submitted to our website by the au-

thor and used with his permission.

www.nolo.com—Special Needs Trusts Specialneedsanswers.com/—Special Needs Planning www.nami.org/—National Alliance on Mental Illness www.illinoismentalhealthcollaborative.com—Access and

Choice websites; Dept. of Human Services information www.choicesinrecovery.com—guides for recovery strategies nimh.nih.gov/—National Institute on Mental Health

mentalhealthtreatment.net—Mental Health Treatment articles samhsa.gov—substance abuse & mental health services admin-

istration psychcentral.com—getting help for a variety of mental illnesses http://mentalhealthchannel.tv/ https://www.columbusrecoverycenter.com/help-teen-with-mental-

health-issues/—teen mental health

Chess in the Labyrinth

The King represents the being over whom the Battle rages. If his enemy captures him, he loses the game. He signifies the deeper self, the divine spark that rejoices to spot blossoms on the cherry tree, hugs a friend who suffered a loss, and paints fresh snow on a mountain at sunrise. Although the most im-portant piece, he is the weakest, capable of taking only a single step at a time through the maze to heal himself; his strength rests in the distribution of powers to his soldiers.

The Queen is the King’s chief support person and confidante, commonly his spouse, partner, or best friend. She reflects the King’s light and contains unlimited potential to invigorate him. The most powerful and versatile piece, she possesses full free-dom of movement in any direction through the labyrinth’s pas-sages. The Queen loves her King unconditionally – she pays attention to what he says, persuades him he will succeed, makes allowances, and forgives him. She buys him a mum, phones to ask how he’s feeling, and picks up his prescription at the phar-macy. She offers the mu-sic of her soul to soothe and comfort him.

The Bishops personify the King’s therapist, phy-sician, and minister, rabbi, or priest. Their mission is to serve him with re-sources they embrace by virtue of specialized train-ing. These pieces empa-thize with the King, give counsel, raise hope, and prescribe medication. They encourage him to take long walks, stick to his routines, fill his agen-da every day to stay busy, and eat healthy food. The Bishops protect him from dark thoughts and impulses, recalling which specific therapies made their other clients, patients, and churchgoers whole. The spiritu-al leaders act as pathways to God, the ultimate caregiver, direct-ly accessible 24/7, if the King chooses.

The Knights embody pharmaceuticals and supplements a Bish-op selects that race to the King’s brain to achieve balance by altering chemicals that affect mood. They are the only pieces on the board capable of leaping over the others, those of both the King and his opponent. They can overcome obstacles that ap-pear insurmountable. Sometimes proceeding by trial and error, a Bishop may change course and assign a different Knight. Alt-hough physicians competently utilize the tools available to them, they may step aside to allow another Bishop to assume command and restore the King’s health.

June–August 2018 Family Forum Page 12

We provide education, support groups, and advocacy for families, friends, and individuals with mental illness in Peo-ria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties.

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