Are you familiar with Community Alliance’s new Family Education Services program called “You Are Not Alone”?

This Family Education service helps bridge the gap experienced by many families as they seek information, support, and services for their loved one, and assures families that, indeed, they are not alone.

Colleen Wuebben, director of the Family Education Services at Community Alliance, has placed even more emphasis and focus on helping family members.

Family support and involvement in the rehabilitation process are important, for the family members themselves, and for their loved one with a mental illness. It is estimated that about 65% of those discharged from the hospital live with their families and/or receive primary care and support from a family member. Several studies have shown that family support can be a key element to a person’s well being and continued reduced relapse rate.

The basic services of Family Education include clear and basic information about the various types of mental illness, the symptoms, and what to expect; resources about and strategies for utilizing the mental health system; connection to local support groups and others with similar situations;

opportunities to attend classes such as Journey of Hope; offerings of personal understanding, compassion and encouragement to deal with these illness that affect every member and every relationship within the family.

An important part of Family Education is a free eight-week class developed by NAMI called Journey of Hope. This course offers education and support for the families of those with mental illness and emphasizes the treatment of various mental illnesses, teaching the knowledge and skills that family members need to cope more effectively with their loved one. One family member said “Being able to talk to other people and understand what they are going through made it all seem not quite as bad.”

Quoting Colleen, “We want people to know that we are here and that we care, that we will listen, that we can encourage each other to take care of ourselves and our needs. We want people to know that with good treatment and support and the hard work of rehabilitation, recovery is possible. There is hope."

"When a person you love is diagnosed with a mental illness, it can be confusing, and heartbreaking. Finding appropriate treatment is the first priority, but once treatment begins, families discover that the illness affects many aspects of their lives, and they need more than medical help. Through the Reaching Out to Families program at Community Alliance, there is assurance that You Are Not Alone!"