Mental Health Chapter Action Kit: Strategies to Partner with Families

Model “systems of care” principles for family involvement by identifying ways to support family involvement (eg, support for time to attend meetings, child care, and transportation) in chapter-led activities, where necessary and relevant. Some state and local chapters of family organizations may not have full or even part-time staff, but rather work with family volunteers to support and advance organizational activities. Support for family involvement in chapter-led activities would be helpful if not essential.

​Re​sources/Tools​​: System of Care Definition and Philosophy

​Identify and begin a dialogue with family organizations that do not specifically represent or work with mental health consumers (eg, PTA).

​Re​sources/Tools​​: ​

​Community and State Resources for Families

​Example: ​Alabama – Mental Health Coalition

Identify contacts in family organizations that work on children’s mental health issues and begin a dialogue to explore common policy and advocacy goals.

​Re​sources/Tools​​:

​Family Voices
​​National Alliance on Mental Illness
​National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
​​​Mental Health America

Involve family representatives and family organizations from the beginning in the planning, development and implementation of chapter activities, including grant-funded projects and quality improvement initiatives.

• Families as trainers and co-participants in chapter advocacy activities
• Family representatives on chapter board/committees
• Families who have experience with child and adolescent mental health issues as consultants for chapter mental health activities
• Families as attendees and/or faculty at chapter-sponsored CME events
• Families as members of project advisory boards
• Families as participants in chapter-sponsored focus groups