Mental Health America of Illinois Presents:

Getting Services for People with Serious Mental Illness: Legal and Practical Considerations

Presented by Mark Heyrman

Persons with very serious, untreated mental illnesses are sometimes unable or unwilling to obtain treatment on their own. The objective of the workshop is to teach mental health providers and friends and relatives of persons with mental illnesses how to use the legal system to assist in this process. Topics will include the standards and procedures for voluntary and involuntary inpatient treatment, standards and procedures for court-ordered outpatient treatment, the role of family members and friends in commitment proceedings, and the use of advance directives and guardianship in obtaining mental health services.

The cost of this workshop is $30.00. 2 CEUs will be available for Professional Counselors and Social Workers.  Discounted parking is available ($16) at 20 E. Randolph (Macy's Parking Garage).  

About the Presenter:  

Mark Heyrman, J.D.

Mark J. Heyrman is a Clinical Professor at the University of Chicago Law School. His principle responsibility is to teach law students to be effective advocates by engaging with them in litigation on behalf of indigent clients with mental illnesses and legislative advocacy on behalf of mental health organizations. Mr. Heyrman also teaches courses in Trial Practice and Mental Health Law. Mr. Heyrman is a member and former chair of the Public Policy Committee of Mental Health America. He is a Board member and past President of the Mental Health America of Illinois and chairs its public policy committee. He helped found and is the facilitator of the Mental Health Summit, a coalition of mental health service providers and advocates for persons with mental illness. He is a member of the Illinois Mental Health Planning and Advisory Council and past co-chairperson and and a member and past chair of the Standing Committee on Mental Health Law of the Illinois State Bar Association. In 1988 he served as Executive Director of the Governor’s Commission to Revise the Mental Health Code of Illinois.

About MHEP:

The Mental Health Empowerment Project (MHEP) is a series of educational presentations/trainings throughout the Chicagoland area. Presentation topics range from addictions to smoking cessation, bullying to social emotional literacy, and other current mental health topics. The goal of MHEP is to provide mental health providers with the most up-to-date information and tools to successfully treat their clients, as well as to empower consumers to live successful and productive lives.