ADMIRE – About Us

Two of us from ADMIRE lead family support groups and teach classes for a national advocacy organization. We witness personal stories of dozens of families affected by Severe Mental Illness (SMI) in Milwaukee County. It seems about one-third are in an active mental health crisis, about one-third are coming out of crisis and about one-third are between crises.

Families face the pain of shunning by friends, misunderstanding from relatives, and isolation. We witness our loved ones fall prey to harmful influences and exploitation by drug- or sex-predators. Our loved ones lack insight into their perilous condition—lack of insight known medically as anosognosia. Families see the inherent dangers and threats around our loved ones who are unaware and lack perspective. Without recognizing their illness, how likely are they to adhere to medical advice that may require ingesting eight to fifteen pills daily?

The common concern we share at ADMIRE is the challenge of accessing appropriate services for our loved ones. We are grassroots in Milwaukee but similar experiences are echoed across Wisconsin. Sandy took the initiative to rally local advocacy through her connections. ADMIRE holds weekly open Zoom calls alongside monthly in-person strategy meetings and collaborate with Wisconsin Mental Health Action Committee (MHAP). We invite you to join our email group or participate in our sessions. ADMIRE operates without a budget or formal organizational structure.

As we united, a tragic reality emerged—incarceration. Nearly all our loved ones have encounters with local police or sheriff. Between a half and three-quarters have been incarcerated. This is not the mental health 72-hour hold but rather jail time imposed by the judiciary. No other medical diagnosis has this unprecedented level of representation in jail and prison populations. How would the community react if half of our loved ones with Alzheimer’s were incarcerated?

In our first year, we prioritized our own education. We invited over a dozen insightful speakers from local government, law enforcement, and public health to share their expertise. Our guests are accessible and insightful. They work for county government, local law enforcement and public health. We believe ADMIRE established itself as an unrivaled source of community knowledge.

In our second year, we transitioned to active advocacy. We have relationships at the county Mental Health Board because of our regular attendance. We attend meetings of the county’s Criminal Justice Committee. We meet with County Board members and our State Senators and Representatives. ADMIRE’s work culminated in a commendation from the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors in 2024.

admireMKE.org

The stress of SMI on each family member is palpable.

Our loved ones deserve treatment before tragedy.