Seeing the Humanity: Northern Illinois NAMI

Danielle Angilieri has always protected persons with mental health conditions…since kindergarten. Then, she would fold her small arms around them to shield them from unkind words and actions. Now, she protects them with her words and her work.

Danielle has been the Executive Director of Northern Illinois National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) in Rockford for the past 10 years. Before that, she was a volunteer with NAMI, and she was then the NAMI Affiliate Coordinator. At present Northern Illinois NAMI has a staff of four, and they are about to hire a fifth person.

Danielle expresses great appreciation to the Winnebago County Mental Health Board for this growth. Prior to the Board’s formation, Winnebago County had been the largest county in Illinois without a Mental Health Board. The passage of a referendum to provide additional funding for mental health through sales tax has allowed Northern Illinois NAMI to increase its staff, its outreach, and services to persons with mental health conditions and their families and loved ones.

The national organization of NAMI started in 1979, and Northern Illinois NAMI was an all-volunteer organization from 1984 to 2015. NAMI was started in the basement of a library, by two mothers whose children had mental health conditions. They saw the need for family members to find resources, help, and understanding.

“Connection has always been my purpose in life,” says Danielle, “And I have always been interested in mental health. I can see the impact on families and the isolation of mental health conditions.”

Danielle notes that one in five persons will experience mental illness in their lifetime. She has noticed several changes and trends in the area of mental health, including that people are talking about mental health more; many people are suffering with serious and chronic mental illness; there are hundreds of private therapists in many cities; there are more options for treatment; and there are new treatments and new testing available, including injectable medications for psychotic disorders. Danielle also notes that there is more emphasis, nationwide, about a preventative approach. This includes addressing mental health issues in youth and doing early intervention for emotional support. NAMI is, on a national level, now trending toward work with youth, including a middle school curriculum for teachers to use and which is available on the NAMI website.

When asked how a person knows which therapist to see, Danielle recommends interviewing a therapist to see if that person is someone who will be a good fit. NAMI can also help with recommendations for therapists.

Danielle sees the need for improvements in the area of involuntary admissions, often as requested by family members. “Kendra’s Law” is a New York law creating a means for court ordered Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT), so that persons with mental illness and a history of hospitalizations or violence are provided with community-based services to meet their needs. Danielle notes that although many Illinois counties, especially with large cities, have utilized this approach, in only one instance has this approach been utilized in Winnebago County. Danielle notes that for this approach to be more widely accepted, there must be a local provider that agrees to provide this type of outpatient admission and treatment.

NAMI Northern Illinois offers several programs and resources for persons with mental health conditions and their families. These programs include an eight-week class called “NAMI Family-to-Family,” for family members of adults living with mental illness, NAMI “In Our Own Voice,” a presentation from persons with personal experience of living with mental illness, and NAMI “Ending the Silence,” presented to middle and high school students about signs and symptoms of mental illness. They also offer several support groups, including those for teens, adults, and family members of persons living with mental illness.

Danielle offers the following words of wisdom:

• Know that one in five persons will experience mental illness in their lifetime.
• Be prepared for what to look for as signs of mental illness.
• Educate yourself on symptoms of mental illness diagnoses.
• Do not equate mental illness with low intelligence.
• When approaching a person who you think may be experiencing a mental health condition, speak in basic terms but listen to them, don’t rush, and be aware that family members will often try to insert themselves.
• See the humanity first, not the illness.

We are fortunate to have leaders like Danielle, and organizations like NAMI, to provide education, support and resources to help lead to better understanding of the needs of persons with mental health conditions and their friends and family.

Susan M. Goldberg is a member of the ISBA Mental Health Law Section Council. Susan is a Champion of the Illinois Bar Foundation and is an Attorney Manager with Five Lakes Law Group.