Education Programs

The NAMI-Mass Education Committee offers the following education programs. As a grass roots organization, the committee always welcomes volunteers to help plan and implement these programs.

FAMILY-TO-FAMILY EDUCATION PROGRAM

The Family-To-Family (“F2F”) Education Program is the flagship education program of NAMI-USA.  It is a12-week course for family caregivers of individuals affected with a serious brain disorder, i.e. mental illness. F2F is taught by trained family member volunteers. It meets in weekly sessions of 2 ˝ hours (usually on a week night) for twelve consecutive weeks. Class size is limited to about 20 people who must be pre-interviewed by the co-teachers prior to the course. All instruction and course materials are free for class participants.

Family-to-Family classes are offered in hundreds of communities in 46 states as well as in two Canadian provinces, Puerto Rico and Mexico. The course is also available in Spanish. Nationwide over 100,000 family members have taken the course since its inception. In Massachusetts there is currently a network of 97 trained F2F volunteer teachers. The program is funded by the Mass. Department of Mental Health.

The Family-to-Family curriculum utilizes a variety of teaching techniques and includes a broad range of topics:

·  Information about Bipolar Disorder, Major Depression, Schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder, Panic Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

·  Coping skills, handling crisis and relapse

·  Listening and communication techniques

·  Problem solving and limit setting; rehabilitation

·  Understanding the actual experience of people suffering from mental illness

·  Self-care; learning how to recognize normal emotional reactions among families

·  Basic information about medications and their side effects

·  Information about connecting with appropriate community services and community supports

·  Advocacy; getting better services, fighting discrimination and stigma

For more information about the Family-to-Family Education Program in Massachusetts , please contact Laura Blockel, Director of Education & Support Programs, at 781-938-4048 or lblockel@namimass.org .

F2F Classes Fall/Winter 2008

Courses are offered by the affiliates throughout the state. Please check back here in August for the Fall/Winter schedule.


Many thanks to the F2F teachers this fall, 2007
who enabled many family members to benefit
from the F2F program:
Dee Febba & Tom Scurfield (Acton)
Ginny & Mark Zanger ( Boston )
Christina Houghton & Betty MacIntyre (Hingham)
Lisa Rose & Joanne Rosen (Salem)
Jim Roberts & LeRoy Spaniol (Wellfleet)
Charlene Costello & Katerina Georges & Karen McGravey-Gajera (Woburn)
Denise & George Ericson ( Worcester )

Group Poem by Family-To-Family Participants My whole world is turned upside down; My brain is spinning round and round. Will this confusion ever end? When will I call this illness...friend? The one I love is hurting so How can I make this illness go?  Does anyone know? The faith I keep I hope I hold; Sharing Family-To-Family can turn straw to gold. Written by parents during a Spring 2001 class taught by Joanna Fortna and Ellie Durant

IN OUR OWN VOICE

In Our Own Voice (“IOOV”) is a presentation given by trained mental health consumers for other consumers, family members, friends, professionals, and lay audiences. It includes a videotape, personal testimony, and discussion. IOOV enriches the audience’s understanding of how people with these serious disorders cope with the reality of their illnesses while recovering and reclaiming productive lives.

Two trained consumers do the presentations together. NAMI provides training for this program, and participants receive a stipend for the presentations. IOOV has been successful nationwide. NAMI-Mass as already trained 38 people to participate in the program, and we hope to offer another training soon.