F.A.C.E.S. Network Grant Project
Family and Adolescents: Collaboration, Education and Support
PROJECT UPDATE, AUGUST 2005: NAMI NH has received funding approval for year two of this three year grant! This is very exciting. We currently have an Oversight Board of five family members and are continuing to recruit family members to join the Board. The programs have been well received. Support groups have expanded in number and have been strengthened by the training and technical assistance provided through this grant. Youth have been involved in several state level advocacy efforts and this is very exciting! Please don’t hesitate to contact Claudia Ferber at NAMI NH if you have an interest in any of the activities or would like more information. She can be reached at cferber@naminh.org or 1-800-242-6264 ext. 13.
F.A.C.E.S. Network Oversight Board in partnership with NAMI NH, Granite State Federation of Families Children’s Mental Health and Alliance Community Supports proposed to establish a statewide family and youth network designed to increase the capacity of each organization in strengthening coalitions among youth, family members, policymakers and service providers. They will work to create, implement, evaluate and sustain a statewide family and youth support and education network.To be eligible to serve on this Oversight Board , a family member must have a child or adolescent with serious emotional disorder under the age of 25 or be a youth with serious emotional disorder under the age of 25, and currently receiving services. The Board is recruiting members and individuals can contact anyone of the grant partners or call Claudia Ferber at NAMI NH 1-800-242-6264 ext. 13.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Vision for Tomorrow is an 8 week educational program for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents who have been diagnosed with emotional disorders ,as well as, those who exhibit behavior that strongly suggests such diagnosis. This program provides educational materials, parenting suggestions, emotional support and self care skills. There is no fee for participation in this program; however, parents are asked to make the 8 week commitment. For a listing of classes starting October 2005, click here.
Support Group Facilitation Training is designed to assist family members to develop the skills needed to facilitate support groups following the NAMI model of “families helping families”. NAMI NH encourages each support group to have at least three individuals trained in the model so they can share facilitation responsibilities. The training is provided by an individual trained in the model who has also facilitated a NAMI NH support group. The training is 20 hours and is presented in 4-five hour sessions over a period of two months. There is no fee to participants; however, we ask that they use the training to establish and maintain NAMI NH support groups in their community. This training will be offered tentatively in February and March of 2006. For more details, please contact Claudia Ferber at NAMI NH 1-800-242-6264 ext. 13.
Young Family Leadership Program designed to educate, build skills and empower family members to work with professionals, family members and consumers for positive system changes. The program design is to provide family members with an understanding of what family leadership is and the difference families can make in the system: special education and how to advocate for your child’s needs; development of system of care partnerships and the family’s role in those partnerships; community involvement using what you’ve learned to impact care for yur child and systems change. This is will be 3- one day long sessions that will begin on September 23, 2005. For more details contact Kathleen Abate at 785-7948.
Advanced Youth Leadership Program is designed to maintain youth involvement after they complete the initial Youth Leadership Program. The youth meet as a group to engage in policy and leadership work, keep connected to ongoing opportunities for leadership, provide ongoing consultation and mentorship and connecting young leaders to their peers. The goal of the Advanced Leadership program is to support Leadership participants beyond graduation, and sustain the group of trained youth leaders to advance their experience and be lifelong system change agents. For more details, contact Katrina at 628-7681.
F.A.C.E.S. Network Grant Contact List:
Administrative Oversight:
Michael Cohen, NAMI NH, mcohen@naminh.org
Project Director:
Claudia Ferber, NAMI NH, cferber@naminh.org
Gail Cormier, Alliance for Community Supports, Inc., cormierig@comcast.net
Kathleen Abate, Granite State Federation of Families, gsffcmh@aol.com
