Mark J. Heyrman : Additional Activities

Member of the Illinois State Bar Association
Chairperson of the Standing Committee on the Mentally Disabled, 1998-99

Member of the Chicago Bar Association
Member of Mental Health Committee

Member of the Clinical Legal Education Association.  Founding Member of the Board of Directors and Secretary-Treasurer, 1992-2000

Member of the Board of Directors of Mental Health America (formerly known as the National Mental Health Association), 2004 to present
Chair of Public Policy Committee, 2008 to present

Member of the Board of Directors of the Mental Health America of Illinois, 1996 to present 
President of the Board, 1998-2000
Chairperson of the Public Policy Committee, 1996-present

Member of the Illinois Mental Health Planning and Advisory Council, 1997-present
Co-chairperson, 2006-2009

Founding member of the Mental Health Summit
Summit facilitator, 2000-present

Member of the President's Cabinet, Adler School of Professional Psychology, 2005-2006

Member of the Mental Health Service System Planning Council of Greater Chicago, 1999-2003  Member of the Steering Committee

Member of the Chicago Consortium for Stigma Research, 1999-2004

Member of Illinois Senate Mental Health Evaluation and Treatment Task Force, 1999-2002

Chairperson of the Illinois Guardianship Reform Project Task Force, 1999-2000

Member of the Joint Working Group on Mental Health Legislation in Illinois, 1995-2003 
Facilitator and principal reporter

Member of the Governor’s Task Force to Review the Treatment of Mentally Ill Parents in the Juvenile Justice System, 1998-2000

Member of the Board of Directors of the  Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation, 1983-84

Member of the Board of Directors of Howard Area Community Center, 1982-1993
President, 1984-86

Member of the Board of Directors of Howard/Paulina Development Corporation, 1988-1994

AWARDS

Award for Mental Health Advocacy and Leadership from the Mental Health Association in Illinois (2006)

Selected as one of "Illinois Super Lawyers" by Law and Politics and Chicago Magazine (2005, 2006, 2007)

Pro Bono award from Equip for Equality, Inc., for work done on behalf of persons with mental disabilities (2003)

First Annual Award for "Outstanding Advocacy" from the Clinical Legal Education Association (2002)

"Special Recognition Award" for work to preserve community mental health funding from the Community Mental Health Council, Inc (2002)

Gold Bell Awaard as "Mental Health Person of the Year" from the Mental Health Association in Illinois (2001)

Significant litigation

In Re Robert S., 2004 Ill. LEXIS 1669 (2004) (Unfit criminal defendants entitled to procedural protections afforded other persons with mental illnesses prior to involuntary administration of medication.)

Baker v. Adams, 02 CH 15962 (Cir. Ct. Cook Cty, Ill., 2004) (Persons confined in state mental hospitals entitled to access to the internet.)

Williams v. Staples, 208 Ill. 2d 480 (2004) (Persons acquitted by reason of insanity cannot be subjected to conditional release past date of maximum possible sentence.)

C.J. v. DMHDD, 296 Ill. App. 3d 17 (1st Dist. 1998); 331 Ill. App. 3d 871 (1st Dist. 2002) (Persons confined following acquittal by reason of insanity entitled to the exercise of professional judgment whenever their liberty is substantially restricted.)

Cross v. Staples, 1-99-3174 (1st Dist. 2001) (Class action injunctive relief prohibiting a state from transferring persons to more restrictive setting without a hearing.)

Lucas v. Peters, 318 Ill. App. 3d (1st Dist. 2000) (Patients confined following acquittal by reason of insanity entitled to the exercise of individual professional judgement in determining placement.)

Brown v. Murphy, 278 Ill. App. 3d 981 (1st Dist. 1996) (Injunctive relief awarded to a class of persons confined in state mental hospital requiring hospital to obtain informed consent from class members as pre-condition to acting as representative payee for social security benefits and paying benefits to itself).

Henderson v. McDonald,No. 94 C 55 (N.D. Ill. June 12, 1996) (Injunctive relief awarded to a class of persons confined in state mental hospitals requiring hospital staff to assist patients in filing petitions for release).

Love v. Chicago,96 C 0396 (N.D. Ill. (1999)(Settlement provides compensation to class of homeless persons living on public property for personal belongings taken by city employees and agreement by city to limit future seizures of personal property).

Estate of Merritt,272 Ill. App. 3d 1017 (1st Dist. 1995) (Supremacy Clause prohibits state mental hospital from seizing patient's social security disability benefits).

Turner v. Campagna,281 Ill. App. 3d 109- (1st Dist. (1996) (Failure to hold timely commitment hearing for person acquitted by reason of insanity entitles defendant to release).

Radazewski v. Cawley,159 Ill. 2d 372 (1994) (Mandamus directing state trial courts to afford mental patients timely release hearings upon receipt of pro se petition).

Chambers v. Illinois Fair Employment Practices Commission,96 Ill. App. 3d 884 (1st Dist. 1981) (First reported Illinois case enforcing state statute prohibiting employment discrimination against the mentally handicapped).

Kulak v. Belletire, 148 Ill. App. 3d 268 (1st Dist. 1986) (Lengthy confinement of unfit criminal defendant violates Due Process Clause of 14th Amendment).

People v. Roush, 101 Ill. 2d 355 (1984) (Transfer of over 75 insanity acquittees to maximum security setting without a hearing unlawful).

Yiadom v. Kiley, 204 Ill. App. 3d 418 (1st Dist. 1990) (Unfit criminal defendant entitled to periodic hearings to determine continued need for confinement in mental hospital).

Goode v. Pavkovic, No. 81 C 2491 (N.D. Ill. April 26, 1984) (Consent decree enforcing right of hearing-impaired, mentally-handicapped client to appropriate services from state agencies).

Significant legislation

Public Act 94-0498 requires that money saved through the complete or partial closure of a state mental hospital be kept in the mental health system.

Public Act 94-0521 permits patients facing involuntary inpatient commitment to enter into an agreed order for outpatient commitment.

Public Act 94-0906 extends Mental Health Insurance Parity Law to health maintenance organizations (HMO's).

Public Act 94-1066 requires documentation of use of psychotropic medication in state facilities.

Public Act 92-0185.Prohibits health insurance companies from providing less coverage for the treatment of mental illness than is provided for other illnesses. 215 ILCS 5/370c

Public Act 87-124.Created standards and procedures under which courts may order psychotropic medication for persons who lack the capacity to consent. 405 ILCS 5/2-107.1

Public Act 90-538.Requires the Department of Human Services to collect and publish data and on the use of electro convulsive therapy in Illinois. 405 ILCS 5/2-110.1.

Public Act 91-536.Strengthens requirement for treatment plans and provided court review thereof. 405 ILCS 5/3-814; 730 ILCS 5/5-2-4

Public Act 92-469.Specifies the pre-trial detention facilities must provide mental health services in jails and requires Department of Corrections to inspect jails annually to insure compliance. 730 ILCS 5/3-15-3

Public Act 91-726.Amended the law requiring that at least one psychiatrist testify in any commitment or involuntary treatment hearing to define psychiatrist as someone who, at a minimum had completed a residency in psychiatry (rather than simply having experience in the field. 405 ILCS 5/1-121