NAMI Offers Courses for Families of Mentally Ill Vets

Families of veterans with mental illnesses have a support network, whether they know it or not. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers Family-to-Family Education Programs – free, 12-week courses for family caregivers of individuals with severe mental illnesses – in 49 states, Puerto Rico, two provinces of Canada, Mexico and Italy. To date, 200,000 family members have graduated from the national program, which is taught by trained family members.

The course, which was developed by NAMI-Vermont in 1990, includes:

• Current information about schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder (manic depression), panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder, and co-occurring brain disorders and addictive disorders
• Up-to-date information about medications, side effects and strategies for medication adherence
• Current research related to the biology of brain disorders and the evidence-based, most effective treatments to promote recovery
• Gaining empathy by understanding the subjective, lived experience of a person with mental illness
• Learning in special workshops for problem solving, listening and communication techniques
• Acquiring strategies for handling crises and relapse
• Focusing on care for the caregiver: coping with worry, stress and emotional overload
• Guidance on locating appropriate supports and services within the community
• Information on advocacy initiatives designed to improve and expand services

An article about the program – which is set to start in Columbus, Ohio, on September 3 – recently appeared in The Columbus Dispatch. The article can be viewed here.

To learn more about the program and find a course in your area, click here.

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