Sometime ago I wrote about New Passages' Liaison Program. I am writing again about this Project because I think it is so important.  To support this project, as you know, we have applied for a grant of $25,000.  We have not heard back yet about the status of our request, but if this grant is awarded, it will allow us to focus even more attention on this vital project.  We believe that vital communities pay attention to mental health concerns.  It's not simply an issue that affects individuals, but an issue that impacts communities.  When an individual with a mental illness becomes socially isolated and locked out of their community by their feelings of shame and harassment, the consequences are devastating.  The burden that a mental illness has on a family can cause enormous stress and disruptions in the lives of all family members.  When a family makes continual adjustments in response to the frequent crisis of a mentally ill family member, some individuals react with hostility or by rejecting the mentally ill family member.  Treating individuals who suffer from mental illness while supporting their families is not only a moral and ethical obligation, but it's also an economic and health and safety issue essential to maintaining the quality of life for every citizen.  New Passages has developed the Liaison Project in response to this pressing community issue.

I have felt for many years that one of the main things lacking in the mental health system is a direct link to the loved ones who want to support their family member but don't know how.  I can't imagine a more effective way to promote recovery, than connecting a person with a mental illness to the supports their family can provide. The grant we are proposing will link our current endeavor with the use of the best practice, evidence-based Family Psycho-Education model.  Family Psycho-Education is a supportive, rather than therapeutic model that is more effective in increasing family involvement than the "routine care" of medication management and crisis services.  Our project is adjunctive to the primary consumer's treatment and its unique feature is that its sole purpose is to foster family and community relationships.  New Passages recognizes that educating individuals and communities about mental illness results in greater understanding and compassion for the person with a serious illness.  This understanding and compassion reduces fear and promotes community inclusion.  The Liaison Project supports and drives a "ripple" effect that will ultimately eliminate the painful and shaming stigma of having a mental illness.

Even if New Passages is not awarded this grant, we are committed to promoting recovery through a Family Psycho-Education model.  It is exciting to think that we really are committed to doing everything possible to support families and communities in their involvement with adults with serious mental illness.  As always, I would like to hear your thoughts.