Vision of Family Involvement

Creating a Family Oriented Mental Health System

A family oriented mental health system insures that mental health programs routinely and proactively offer comprehensive education and support services to family members and others in the consumer’s social network. The services are designed to engage and involve family members and others in supporting the treatment and recovery of consumers through education, advocacy, support and problem solving assistance. Take a look and see how your agency is doing at these, and offer to help add more services if you would like. These performance standards are organized into the three major areas of a mental health program or agency:

Assessment: Intake and ongoing assessments are designed to identify: The expressed wants/expectations of consumers related to the involvement of family members. The needs/wants of the consumer’s family/support network for information, support, advocacy and problem solving assistance related to the consumer’s mental health problems. The family/social network resources and strengths related to promoting the consumer’s treatment and recovery.

Service Planning and Delivery: The program has an accessible system toengage and involve Family members for consumers who want and can benefit from their involvement. The program should have: Designated family services coordinator Performance expectations of practitioners (e.g., routine provision of family consultation services) Informational materials

Evaluation of Outcomes & Performance Progress notes and periodic treatment plans identify and address outcomes related to the provision of family programs Strategies to identify and involve family supports in the consumer’s treatment. The agency/program collects, analyzes and acts upon family/support network data to make continual and informed improvements.