First, PLAN is a family directed organization. Parents are the primary customers of PLAN, they have significant representation on the Board of Directors and their voice has a major impact on the way PLAN operates. PLAN strongly encourages the involvement of the family in the management and operations of PLAN of North Texas by providing volunteer opportunities for the entire family.

Second, PLAN is a private non profit corporation created for the purpose of providing long-term planning and care exclusively to families of adults with serious and persistent mental illnesses (neurobiological brain disorders). PLAN is not funded by any state or local government or agency of government. PLAN is supported by dues, fees, donations from individuals and grants from foundations and corporations.

Third, PLAN's focus is on providing family support and rehabilitation through therapy, social/recreational and rehabilitation/education activities for the adult with mental illness.

Fourth, PLAN provides consistency and continuity in its services. Service coordination (care management) and psychotherapy are provided as needed (and requested by the family).

Fifth, while PLAN provides medication management, PLAN does not provide medications as do the public mental health clinics in Texas. Our member/consumers have access to those services from the public sector or from private psychiatrists.

PLAN's objective is to assist the parents or other relatives who have the primary caregiving role for the adult with mental illness to plan for the future, to a time when the primary caregiver is no longer able to fulfill that role. As the caregivers grow older, they are less able to meet the demands of caring for and guiding a person who may be difficult to manage or who requires a great deal of supervision. PLAN's role, in accordance with the wishes of the family as expressed in the Personal Care Plan described below, is to step in and fill that need.

The family's obligation is to ensure that there are sufficient funds available to meet the future needs of the adult with mental illness. PLAN of North Texas does not have the financial resources available to it to make the services available. Families must develop a financial plan, complementing the Personal Care Plan, to accomplish the objective of being able to secure services that were previously provided without charge by the family. We can assist families in finding knowledgeable professionals who will advise them on how to structure their financial resources (usually through a Supplemental Needs Trust) to pay for uninterrupted caregiving.

PLAN also assists the family through introductions to skilled professionals who can help develop a sound financial plan and to other professionals who can help develop Special Needs Trusts and other necessary legal documents.

PLAN can provide Respite services by visiting the client frequently while caregivers are out of town.

PLAN's second objective is to assist each adult with mental illness (the client) to organize his or her daily life and financial and living arrangements. Being better organized enables the client to lead a more productive meaningful life and have a better chance of avoiding hospitalization, becoming a ward of the state or becoming incarcerated within the prison system.

The Personal Care Plan may be general for the present taking into consideration the current needs of the caregivers and the adult with mental illness. The Personal Care Plan will usually address the future needs of the adult with mental illness and the financing of the provision of services to meet those future needs.

The Personal Care Plan may have very specific objectives for the delivery of services in the future. For example: "John will receive weekly psychotherapy sessions, his therapist will accompany him to doctor appointments as requested, and he will receive assistance resolving car problems and he will receive Christmas and birthday gifts not to exceed $100 per occasion."

While the caregiver is the Sponsoring Member (responsible party contracting for services), the entire immediate family are considered members.

A parent, or family member, who believes that their adult relative with mental illness would benefit from the socialization and education programs or counseling offered by PLAN of North Texas should consider joining PLAN of North Texas.

Many extended family members join PLAN at the Friend level to show support for the service that PLAN provides to families living with adults with mental illnesses. They receive the PLAN Newsletter to stay informed about PLAN of North Texas activities.

Consequently, the responsible family member should contact PLAN's Executive Director to commence the process of developing a Personal Care Plan. You will meet with a social worker to develop a provisional plan to ensure that PLAN is capable of meeting the individual's needs.

Parents or siblings often express the desire that their family member with mental illness will have social opportunities, activities and friends, but the family member is resistant and isolates himself or herself. This is due to the mental illness, but the person with the illness probably also longs for friends and companionship.

Often working with a psychotherapist and/or attending activities with a non-disabled family member can bridge the isolation barrier and begin the process of recovery for a person with a serious mental illness.

Having a Personal Care Plan in place and the process of building the relationship with the social worker eases the concerns of the caregiver who now has a known, competent professional available to provide care. The concerns of the adult with mental illness, who may be secretly (or openly) worried about the loss of their parent/ caregiver, are also being addressed.

Without PLAN providing support, the loss of a caregiver can put a great deal of additional, but avoidable, stress on the family and the adult with mental illness. For those who already experience so many life challenges due to mental illness, the loss of a caregiver can be a devastating event.

Friend level membership dues for adult siblings, aunts, uncles and friends of the family are $60 annually. (This is a wonderful present to give as these members will stay informed via the PLAN newsletter.)

Professional Membership dues are $110 annually and these members also receive the newsletter.

The current rate for psychotherapy and case management is $92 per hour.