Beginning next week, we will send our Weekly Update messages on Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. We hope you will find that time more convenient. Please send any comments to coordinator@namimainlinepa.
NAMI Main Line Upcoming Event
NAMI Main Line PA is hosting a virtual forum in partnership with 1847Financial:
Future Care and Financial Planning For Individuals with Special Needs:
What Every Caregiver Needs to Know
2-4 p.m. on Sunday, January 29, 2023
In this forum, presenter Pat Bergmaier, CFP®, ChSNC®, will provide an overview of financial & estate planning for families that have dependents with special needs. He will address critical areas of concern, such as navigating and maximizing government benefits through an overview of programs such as SSI/SSDI, Waivers & Social Security. The presentation will also address important estate planning considerations such as Wills, Special Needs Trusts, and the differences between Guardianship and Powers of Attorney. Finally, it will make attendees aware of how special needs financial planning is different than traditional financial planning. Strategies will be presented to address funding of special needs trusts, tax planning considerations, and ensuring quality of life and lifetime care are maintained for loved ones. Our goal is to make sure attendees learn the importance of integrating all the necessary pieces into one cohesive plan, so the vision they have for their child’s life can become a reality, whether they are here or not. Click here to register.
NAMI Main Line Support Groups
Our Havertown NAMI Family Support Group is a free, confidential group of families helping other families who live with mental health challenges. This group meets in-person on the third Tuesday of the month from 7 to 8:30 pm. The next meeting will be on January 17. For more information or if you are new to the group, please contact Nora at nora@huntjohnson.org.
Our next Wellness Chat for Family-to-Family Graduates will be on Wednesday, January 25, at 7 p.m. Please contact Judy at F2FMainLine@aol.com for the upcoming meeting information.
Our NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group for adults living with mental illness on meets on Tuesday evenings on Zoom. Please contact Danielle Sulpizio at (484) 880-0660 or Ed Kane at (484) 744-0860 for more information.
Our Parent Peer Support Group for parents with a middle school through young adult child meets weekly on Wednesday evenings via Zoom. If you are interested in joining this support group, please email Nancy.
For more information about our other support groups, please go to https://namimainlinepa.org/
Other Upcoming Events
Achieva Family Trust and The Arc Erie County will present, “Understanding the Basics of OVR (Office of Vocational Rehabilitation)” on Wednesday, January 18, from 10-11:30 a.m. Join Jill Seus Starr and her colleagues from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) as they explain the OVR process, including general OVR services, transitioning services, supported employment, and paid work experience. For more information and to register, go to https://tinyurl.com/4bmvses.
PLAN of PA has announced the start of their Family Resource Academy. This Family Services outreach will offer various series and workshops designed to empower, support and educate families to advocate and align resources for their loved ones living with a disability. The Transition to Adulthood Series (6 sessions) will meet on Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. from January 19 – February 23 on Zoom. For more information and to register for this series or any future events, click here.
Youth Mental Health Conference Registration Now Open
Registration is now open for NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania’s 2023 Child, Adolescent, and Transition Age Youth Mental Health Conference, Pursuit of Perfection and the Impact on Youth Mental Health. The conference will take place on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, at The Westin Pittsburgh. This conference will address the research and trends related to perfectionism, the challenges young people are facing, and how adults can offer support in reframing the concept. Thanks to a grant from NAMI, registration rates have been lowered. The rates are lower for all categories and students are FREE with a valid school email. Special school group rates are still available. Email Sara Levine Steinberg for details. Continuing Education and Act 48 Credits are being offered. Because of the grant, NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania is also doubling the scholarship amount for the Youth Mental Leadership Award to $1,000.
