Keynote speakers ranging from the brother of the Unabomber to the executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), will be in Helena next week to address participants at the annual Montana State Conference on Mental Illness.

The conference -- Oct. 25, 26 and 27 at the Red Lion Colonial Hotel -- is aimed at educating mental health care professionals and members of the public about the challenges facing the mental health system in Montana, and ultimately, transforming mental health care in the state.

According to Sandra Mihelish, one of the coordinators of the conference, Montana received a failing grade in a recent assessment by NAMI National of treatment of and services offered to people with serious mental illness, with the country as a whole receiving a "D."

"This conference is going to focus on changes and improvements Montana can make in the system of care to improve the quality of life for people living with serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar, major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder and co-occurring disorders," she said, adding that progress is being made. "We have some very dedicated people in Montana."

Keynote speaker David Kaczynski, who will address the audience at 9 a.m. Thursday, spent two years trying to convince the U.S. Department of Justice that it was his brother, Ted's, paranoid schizophrenia that prompted him to execute a series of bombings. For that reason, Kaczynski argued that Ted should not be put to death for his crimes.

Ted was eventually offered a plea bargain that spared his life, but Kaczynski took his efforts one step further by forming the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty -- a group focused on banning the death penalty for people with serious mental illness.

Other featured speakers include William J. McPhee, founder of "Schizophrenia Digest," Darcy Gruttadaro, director of NAMI's National Child and Adolescent Action Center, and Mike Fitzpatrick, executive director of NAMI.

Former Washington Post reporter Pete Earley will wrap up the conference on Friday. After his son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Earley investigated America's mental health system and wrote a book, "Crazy, A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness."

Participants in the conference also will have the opportunity to participate in a number of discussion sessions covering topics including peer programs for mentally ill people, the benefits of crisis intervention training, and more.

Also, the conference will host the "Lincoln Art Show and Reception," named for President Abraham Lincoln, who suffered from severe depression. The show will feature the work of artists whose lives have been touched by mental illness. All proceeds of the show will go to benefit the artists.

Mihelish said the conference is geared to people with mental illness, their families, mental health professionals, people who might have interaction with people with mental illness through their jobs and more.

"It's really open to anyone who's interested," she said.

Mihelish expects between 350 and 400 people to attend the conference.

If you go

What: 2006 Montana Conference on Mental Illness

When: Oct. 25-27

Where: Red Lion Colonial Hotel

Register by calling 458-9738. Three-day passes are available in advance for $95, $120 at the door. One-day passes are available for $80.