Family Education and Support

Do you have a family member or a friend that has a mental illness? Do you find yourself asking how you can better help—or how you can cope? You are not alone. At Community Alliance, we are committed to providing families and friends with the help and support they need and deserve as they walk alongside a loved one living with mental illness.

Hands-On Information

Information can be hard to come by and even more difficult to understand. Our family education and support staff can provide accurate information to help you understand a diagnosis, symptoms and what your loved one is experiencing. We can help you sort through various services and support that may be available but are often confusing. We can link you with community support groups where you can talk with others who share similar experiences. Our approach is to provide an understanding ear and practical information that will help you support your friend or family member while taking care of yourself.

A ‘Family-to-Family’ Connection

Community Alliance offers a free, 8-week Family-to-Family educational program specifically designed for family, significant others and close friends of people living with mental illness. This program is provided in collaboration with NAMI Nebraska and utilizes the NAMI-developed curriculum. Participants learn about major mental illnesses, current medications, side effects, and strategies for medication adherence. There are also modules on effective problem-solving and communication skills, strategies for handling crisis and relapse, and the importance of self-care while also caring for others. Those who complete this nationally recognized program report feeling less isolated and more empathetic and responsive to their loved one. They also described themselves as coping much better and feeling newly empowered to advocate for their relative or friend.

Learn More

Community Alliance family education and support services and the Family-to-Family class are provided by trained family members who have been there. Talk to us. We’re here to help.

Visit our FAQs page for more Community Alliance information.

We also provide additional resources on our Support Groups page.

Contact Us

We value your questions, comments and information requests and will respond to you in as timely manner as we can.

* This contact form is not monitored on a 24 hour / 7 day a week basis. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need to speak to someone right away, do not use this form. Call your doctor, therapist, or crisis support number. If you have a medical or psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.