Visit us at the 2011 NAMI Convention
(National Alliance on Mental Illness)

July 6-9 in Chicago

Visit our Booth! Hear our Speakers!


Estate Planning General Session and Workshops
Thursday, July 7, 9:15 am – 12:00 pm

This seminar will be based on specific examples of NAMI families and will address the setups and strategies that are appropriate for families living with mental illness. The first two hours will be a general session and will be followed by the following four 60-minute breakouts.

Civil Commitments and Psychiatric Advance Directives

The session will focus on general principles of involuntary civil commitment law and the use of psychiatric advance directives.

R. Shawn Majette, member, Special Needs Alliance, Richmond, Virginia.

Creating a Special Needs Trust that Adjusts to Changing Circumstances

The key to effective estate planning lies not in predicting the future, but in anticipating change and ensuring that there are resources—financial, legal and personal—to weather the storm.  This session will include a basic explanation of some of the more common planning techniques used in this area, including a discussion of special needs trusts and their alternatives.

Stephen Dale, member, Special Needs Alliance, Walnut Creek, California

Using Professional Care Managers

Your child depends on you and others for many of his/her needs. What will s/he do when you are gone? Don’t leave your child’s life in disarray. Plan now by assembling a team, including a special needs attorney, disability care coordinator, advocate, and key family members and friends to assist your loved one.

Dennis Sandoval, member, Special Needs Alliance, Riverside, California 

Creating a Protective Trust for a Beneficiary Not on Public Benefits

The disability community is very diverse, and a special needs trust is not always the only answer. The presenter will discuss what he calls the “Love and Protection Trust,” which is a trust for a vulnerable and/or self-destructive adult child who is NOT legally disabled but still needs significant assistance and guidance.

Rick L. Law, member, Special Needs Alliance, Aurora, Illinois