A Story of Recovery & Hope
“Family Education and Support services have been very beneficial to a young woman with a serious mental illness and her partner, helping them to understand the diagnosis, communicate effectively and overcome obstacles. She is using the education and skill-building she developed to improve her relationships with other family members.”
Family Education & Support
Research shows that family education and support lead to:
- reduced relapse rates;
- lower re-hospitalization rates;
- better relationships, and
- improved well-being for individuals with schizophrenia and their family members/significant others.
The BeST Center defines “families” as individuals who are important to someone with a mental illness — they could be blood relatives, significant others, friends or other support persons, and works with partner organizations to offer families illness education, skill-building and support with clinicians specifically trained in the practice.
Loved Ones Involved in a Network of Care (LINC)
Loved Ones Involved in a Network of Care (LINC) helps individuals with diagnoses of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, bipolar disorders, or major depressive disorder and their loved ones make a successful transition from the hospital to mental health treatment services in the community.
Individuals and their friends and families meet with specially trained LINC clinicians in the hospital before discharge and continue LINC sessions at community mental health agencies. During LINC sessions, individuals and their loved ones have opportunities to understand the illness, understand the how and why of the recommended treatments, improve communication, solve problems together and work toward recovery. LINC is a partnership between the BeST Center and MetroHealth.
FIRST Family Psychoeducation
The FIRST Coordinated Specialty Care for First Episode Psychosis program believes that support from family members and friends is vital to recovery. Family Psychoeducation and support are available to family members and friends of individuals enrolled in FIRST programs. Family members determine how often and how many times they participate in Family Psychoeducation sessions.
Family-based Treatment Locations
Cuyahoga County
- Building on Family Strengths: Support, Education and Advocacy, Murtis Taylor Human Services System
Working with friends & families 101: Unburning the bridges
An Online Training Resource
This is a two-part online training focused on the role of friends and families in the recovery process of those involved in 1st episode psychosis program
About the Program
- Self-paced convenience
- Practical information and skills
- Stories of hope and inspiration
- Information-sharing guidelines
- Free continuing education
- Interactive learning opportunities
- Real-life case examples
- Downloadable resources
CONTACT US
BeST Center
Email: bestcenter@neomed.edu
BeST Practices in Schizophrenia Treatment (BeST) Center
NEOMED Coordinating Center of Excellence
