Family Inclusion and Participation
“The family appreciated greatly the opportunity to meet (as a family) to be educated by professionals about his physical and mental challenges, discuss the pros and cons of a course of action and how best to reach a consensus for next steps. WestBridge was an invaluable resource for our family in its time of crisis. Thank you for all your good work to all those in your care!”
– A Thankful Sibling
Why Family Work is So Important
Having a loved one with mental illness or co-occurring disorders can be overwhelming. Before an adult in need of services enters treatment, family members often provide crisis management and daily support in activities of daily living due to the nature of these brain diseases. A loved one’s symptoms and behaviors can lead to family members feeling afraid, frustrated, and isolated.
Family Participation is at the Heart of WestBridge Treatment
WestBridge believes that healing is most successful when family members are included throughout the treatment process. A key part of family inclusion at WestBridge involves participation in Family Education and Support (FES). FES provides education and skill-building to help families cope with mental health and co-occurring disorders. Families engaged in FES can expect:
Advocacy
Education
Resource Development
Recovery Support
One of the greatest benefits of the FES program is an increase in healthy family connections, fostering hope and encouragement.
Resources available to Family members include:
• A Family Handbook
• One-on-one WestBridge Family peer support
• A secure, online website portal for access to information
• Monthly educational webinars (recorded and available on the Family Portal)
• Family support groups via a secured video platform
• Support in connecting to local community supports such as National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Al-Anon.