Clinical Associate Professor Colleen Boraca presented “Preventing Future Mental Health Crisis Through Advanced Directives to the Kane County Treatment Alternative Courts on January 28. Participants learned various tools for advanced care planning such as powers of attorney for health care, mental health declarations, living wills and guardianships. The presentation focused on which ones most help individuals facing mental health crises.
Professor Boraca joined the NIU College of Law’s clinical faculty in 2014 and directs NIU’s Health Advocacy Clinic in Aurora, IL. The clinic is an interdisciplinary partnership between NIU College of Law, Hesed House and Aunt Martha’s Health Center. She also co-directs the NIU Law COVID-19 Legal Response Clinic. Prior to joining the NIU College of Law, Professor Boraca was a supervising attorney at the AIDS Legal Council of Chicago. She also served as a Cook County assistant state’s attorney for seven years in both the Child Support Enforcement Division and the Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Unit. She is a former chair of the Chicago Bar Association Mental Health and Disability Law Committee. Professor Boraca co-chairs the Kane County Bar Association Elder Care, Disability and Mental Health Committee as well as MLP Illinois, a task force consisting of representatives from medical-legal partnerships throughout Illinois.
