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 Family and Professional Education
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EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Reaching People, Teaching Facts
Family-to-Family
This is a free 12-week course for family and friends of individuals with mental illness. Classes are taught by trained NAMI-CT family members and include:
- Current information about the biology of mental illnesses and co-occurring disorders as well as addictive disorders; up-to-date information about medications, side effects and strategies for adherence; current research related to the biology of brain disorders and the evidence-based, most effective treatments to promote recovery.
- Coping Skills: Gaining empathy by understanding the subjective, lived experience of a person with mental illness; learning in special workshops for problem solving, listening and communication techniques; acquiring strategies for handling crisis and relapse.
- Care for the Caregiver: Coping with worry, stress and emotional overload; the power of advocacy, guidance on locating appropriate supports and services within the community information on advocacy initiatives designed to improve and expand services.
Check out the comments from family members who have attended the life-changing Family-to-Family program!
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"This program was excellent! I learned almost as much as in all of my psych classes in college!"
"Family to Family gave me perspectives and insight that I didn't have. Such a great relief to know that this support program is available."
"To say that Family to Family was enlightening would be an understatement! So comforting to know that what I am going through is normal!"
"I wish we could get the whole world to take Family-to-Family. The world would be a much more compassionate place!"
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FAMILY TO FAMILY CLASSES
***WINTER 2010
NORWALK
Date: Begins Monday, January 25th, 2010
Time: 06:30-08:30 PM
Location: “The Chess Room”
Norwalk Public Library, 2nd fl.
1 Belden Ave., Norwalk, CT
Contact & Registration: Claudia at 203.869.1018
WEST HARTFORD
Date: Begins Thursday, March 04th, 2010
Time: 06:30-09:00 PM
Location: “Greater Hartford JCC (Jewish Community Center)"
335 Bloomfield Ave. (RT.189) West Hartford, CT
Contact & Registration: Janet at 860.620.7717
FALL 2009
MERIDEN
Date: Begins Monday, September 14th, 2009
Time: 6:30-09:00 PM
Location: “Coccomo Memorial HealthCenter”
Meeting Room / Meriden - CT
Contact: Barbara at 203-710-3173
FAIRFIELD
Date: Begins Monday, September 14th, 2009
Time: 7:00-09:30 PM
Location: “First Church Congregational" - Elliot room/library
148 Beach Rd, Fairfield, CT
Contact: Rebecca at 203-259-9779 or thistleblu@sbcglobal.net
STAMFORD
Date: Begins Monday, September 14th, 2009
Time: 7:00-09:30 PM
Location: “Laurel House”
1616 Washington Blvd., Third Floor - Dining Room
Stamford, CT 06902
Contact: Lorraine at 203-858-1477 or Candice McCallum at 203-967-2722
AVON
Date: Begins Thursday, September 17th, 2009
Time: 7:00-09:30 PM
Location: “Valley Community Baptist Church" (Fellowship Hall "F")
590 W. Avon Rd. (RT 167)
Avon, CT 06001
Contact: Janet Brownstein at 860-620-7717 or janetb1954@comcast.net
WEST HAVEN
Date: Begins Tuesday, September 22th, 2009
Time: 6:30-09:00 PM
Location: “The Errera Community Care Center"
114-52 Boston Post Road, 2nd Floor
West Haven, CT 06516
Contact: Mark at 203-430-7503 or 203-479-8050
MANCHESTER
Date: Begins Tuesday, September 22th, 2009
Time: 6:30-09:00 PM
Location: Manchester, CT
Contact: Cheri at 860-268-2974 or Liz at 860-982-5009
DANBURY
Date: Begins Monday, September 28th, 2009
Time: 6:30-09:00 PM
Location: Danbury, CT
Contact: Carole Hart 203 938 3539 or 203 240 0936 hartanti@aol.com
For more information about the Family-To-Family educational course, please contact Paloma Dee at the NAMI-CT office or by email at familyeducation@namict.org.
NAMI-BASICS
The Fundamentals of Caring for you, your Family, and your child with Mental Illness
NAMI-Basics allows families to connect to one another while learning about mental illness and empowering themselves to overcome new challenges. It provides information families want and need about their child.
Course elements include:
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The trauma of mental illness for the child and the family
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The biology of menatl illness: getting an accurate diagnosis
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The latest research on the medical aspects of the illness and advances in treatment
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An overview of treatment options - treatment works, and more...
The course is:
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six different classes, 2- 1/2 hours each, that may be offered on a weekly basis or in multiple classes per week
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Is offered FREE of charge
For more information about the NAMI-Basics educational course, please contact Paloma Dee at the NAMI-CT office or by email at:
familyeducation@namict.org.
***WINTER- SPRING 2010
STAMFORD
Date: Begins Monday, January 11th, 2010
Time: 7:30-10:00 PM
Location: “Laurel House” 1616 Washington Blvd., Third Floor - Dining Room
Stamford, CT 06902
Contact: Dawn at 203.249.5935 or dawnschneider@optonline.net
FAIRFIELD
Date: Begins Monday, March 01st, 2010
Time: 7:00-09:30 PM
Location: First Church Congregational - 148 Beach Road, Eliot room/library
Fairfield, CT
Contact: Rebecca at 203-259-9779 or thistleblu@sbcglobal.net
Learning Together: Changing Minds" ( "Aprendiendo Juntos: Cambiando Mentes")
A FREE SPANISH Language six week program for parents and caregivers of children and adolescent who have a mental illness. The program provides information on the neurobiological basis of mental illness, strategies for helping parents and children navigate the children's mental health and school systems, coping strategies and self-care for parents/caregivers. Program is delivered by TRAINED parents ( CMHW) NAMI-CT.
FALL 2009
Wallingford
Date: Begins Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
Time: 6:00-08:00 PM
Location: 284 Washington Street (Old Senior Center) Wallingford, CT
Contact: Comunidad Hispana at 203-265-5886
Parents & Teachers as Allies
A FREE- two hours in-service program that focuses on helping school professionals and families better understand and deal with the early warning signs of menatl illnesses. Parents & Teachers as Allies provides tools for mainstream educators to identify warning signs and address challenging behaviors that may be linked to mental illness in order to improve educational outcomes for all in the classroom.
For more information please contact Paloma Dee at: familyeducation@namict.org
Provider Education
Provider Education is a 10-class educational program designed for front line staff at mental health agencies. The course teaches mental health professionals about the challenges of mental illness and recovery from the perspectives of the person affected with the illness and his/her family members. Provider Education is a powerful "stigma busting" tool with a capacity to not only change the mind and intellect of those who attend, but open the eyes and heart as well. Comments from a few of our most recent class members include:
| "I have learned more than I would have imagined. This program has given me a great respect for the individuals with mental illness."
"I loved the honest and open real life stories shared."
"I have known my family member with mental illness for twenty-seven years, and until I took this class I never once looked at him as a "hero" for all that he has been through. The whole class made me look at my relative through different eyes!"
"This course motivates me to go back to work each day and try something that I have learned. It provides me with a new perspective, a better understanding and HOPE."
"It (this course) has helped me to separate the person from the illness."
"Anyone working in the mental health field should be required to take this program as part of their training. It is life changing!"
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""Provider Education is offered by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) twice a year at Connecticut Valley Hospital. (CVH). Look for registration information in the DMHAS Education and Training Catalog or contact Ann Nelson at the NAMI-CT office at familyeducation@namict.org or 1-800-215-3021 for more information. Certificates of attendance and CEU’s for social workers are available through DMHAS Department of Education. The Provider Education course has also been offered to many other mental health professionals at a variety of mental health facilities, and can be presented to your employees as well.
Related Files
Family To Family Teacher Application Form (PDF File)
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Connecticut, Inc
