Family Psychoeducation builds on the family's important role in the recovery process of people with mental illness. Consumers experience markedly better outcomes when their families or other support people are involved. Family Psychoeducation can be used in a single or multi-family format.

FPE does not replace medication, but research has shown that there is a significant reduction in relapse rates and unemployment when family intervention, multi-family groups and medication are used at the same time. Families learn about improving relationships while learning what to do about the symptoms of mental illness.

* Forming an alliance

* On-going education about the illness

* Problem-solving

* Creating social supports

* Developing coping skills

FPE is helpful to people who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar illness, major depression and borderline personality disorder.

As a result of FPE, consumers and families learn to problem-solve about:

* Finding and keeping a job

* Taking part in social activities

* Family stress

* Disagreements about medication

* Lack of energy

* Drugs and alcohol

And families learn about:

* Mental illness

* Managing stress

* Navigating the public mental health system

* That other people have similar needs and experiences

* Improved family relationships and general health

* New ways to deal with the common problems caused by mental illness, problems that often create stress, confusion and disagreements, such as:

- Taking medication

- Finding and keeping a job

- Taking part in social activities

And as a result, there is:

* Improvement of clinical outcomes (fewer relapses and fewer symptoms)

* Reduced needs for crisis intervention and hospitalization over time

* Improvement in community functioning, and social activities, less isolation

* Increased satisfaction for consumers and families, a feeling of better control over life

* Less family strain and stress, less depression and anxiety

* Better employment retention

* Improved cost-benefit ratio

* Progress in Recovery

(from the SAMHSA Family Psychoeducation Toolkit)

List of Subcommittee Members

Meeting Minutes

December 15, 2004

January 11, 2005

January 24, 2005

February 15, 2005

March 8, 2005

April 5, 2005

May 3, 2005

July 12, 2005

September 12, 2005

October 11, 2005

December 13, 2005

January 10, 2006

April 11, 2006

May 9, 2006

June 13, 2006

September 19, 2006

November 11, 2006

January 23, 2007

March 27, 2007