Family Education and Support
Does your family member or friend experience mental health or substance use challenges? Do you find yourself asking how you can better help them — or how you can cope? You are not alone. Community Alliance is here to provide the help and support you need, and deserve, to walk alongside your loved one.
A Trusted Resource for Mental Health Information
It can be difficult to sort through information about your loved one’s experience. Our family education and support staff provides accurate information to help you understand their diagnosis, symptoms and what they are experiencing. We can help you navigate various services and support that may be available to help them, in addition to connecting you with community support groups where you can talk with others who share similar experiences.
Join our Family-to-Family Educational Program
Our free, eight-week Family-to-Family educational program is specifically designed for families, significant others and close friends of people with mental health and substance use challenges.
The program is provided in collaboration with NAMI Nebraska using the NAMI Family-to-Family program curriculum. It covers a wide range of topics, including helping families understand what their loved one is experiencing; information about major mental illnesses and substance misuse, current medications, side effects and strategies for medication adherence; working through any difficult emotions family members may be feeling; and ensuring that participants understand that genetics and biology, not nurturing, play a significant role in one’s mental health.
During the sessions, the person and their family, friend or partner collaborate to develop five plans:
- A crisis plan to work through the most intense periods
- A recovery plan
- A relapse prevention plan
- A self-care plan for those who are supporting their loved one
- An advocacy plan to help find and receive the most appropriate services
Thousands of people have taken advantage of our program over the past several decades. Participants consistently report feeling less isolated and more empathetic and responsive to their loved one. They also described themselves as coping better and feeling newly empowered to advocate for their relative or friend.
Getting Started
Community Alliance’s family education and support services and the Family-to-Family program are provided by trained family members who have been there. Talk to us — we’re here to help. We also provide additional resources on our support groups page.
Contact Jai Sookram at lsookram@commall.org to learn more about upcoming class opportunities. Visit our FAQs page for more information about Community Alliance.
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.