The "family crisis of mental illness" will be the topic of a gathering of family members and friends of people who are mentally ill. The meeting, at the Alliance House, 1724 S. Main, will be held Wednesday, March 13, at 8 p.m.
The topic will be addressed by Bob Verville, superintendent of the Utah State Hospital; Janina Chilton, public relations director for the hospital; and Jerry Romero, assistant acute care and crisis coordinator at the University Hospital.They will discuss the signs of mental illness, how a loved one can be helped to obtain hospital treatment, what happens in a psychiatric hospital or ward and what the law says about involuntary hospitalization. They'll also examine what happens after hospitalization.
The discussion will be preceded at 7 p.m. by a family "sharing and support" time. The Alliance for the Mentally Ill is a non-profit advocacy and support group for relatives and friends with mental illness.