Mental illness doesn’t only affect the person who has it. It can affect everyone around them.
Friends and family members might not understand what their loved one is going through, why they are acting a certain way, or what they can do to help or support them. MHAOhio’s Family Advocate Program provides support and resources to those caring for someone with a mental illness, from someone who has walked in their shoes.
DeAnna Hall, former Get Connected Coordinator, was recently promoted to be the Get Connected Program Manager, enabling her to impact the Family Advocate Program differently.
“This change allows me to spend more time on the Family Advocate Program, and bring in more participants and volunteers,” she said.
The Get Connected Program links callers with an experienced mental health professional who can resolve issues, refer to the most helpful resource, navigate the mental health and substance abuse treatment system, and educate them about their rights. Oftentimes, a family member of a person with a mental illness is calling the Get Connected phone line. That caller is automatically enrolled in the Family Advocate Program.
“This way, the caller can be connected with a Family Advocate volunteer right away to make sure all of their needs are being met,” DeAnna said.
Family Advocate volunteers are people who have lived experience supporting a family member with a mental illness. They also complete MHAOhio’s Family Advocate training program.
Volunteers have knowledge of the local mental health system and can lend support, a listening ear, and connection to resources.
A new Families in Touch support group, sponsored by the Family Advocate program, launched in late 2022. Family Advocate participants are referred to this support group, but it is open to the public and one of the many Families in Touch support groups options offered by MHAOhio.
The Families in Touch support group offers a safe space for families to talk with other families experiencing the same challenges. They explore feelings and frustrations, and share victories and setbacks. Support group participants know that whatever hardship they might be facing, they have a foundation of people who have been-there-done-that rallying behind them.
The Families in Touch support group meets the first Wednesday of every month at the Karl Road Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library at 5590 Karl Road in Columbus. The group meets in Conference Rooms 1 and 2 on the upper level.
To start each meeting, the support group facilitator introduces a caregiver-related topic designed to educate and inform members about an important theme, such as guardianship, self-care, system navigation, and other relevant topics. Open discussion follows, and members are encouraged to participate as they are comfortable. No one is asked to share before they are ready.
With so many families in our community caring for loved ones with mental illness, DeAnna’s main goal in the coming year is to expand: To offer services to more participants, to recruit volunteers to help those participants, and to continue providing ongoing support through more Families in Touch support groups.
If you would like to become a Family Advocate volunteer or know someone who needs the service, visit our website at www.mhaohio.org/get-help/family-advocate or call (614) 242-4357 to Get Connected.
