British Columbia Schizophrenia Society

When a family member suffers from a mental illness, one of the most important things to do is to take the time to learn about the disorder. By educating yourself as much as you can about the mental or substance use disorder, you can take an active role in your family member’s recovery. The Family Toolkit was designed to assist families in caring for a family member with a mental illness by providing information and practical resources.

The toolkit consists of an introduction and five learning modules:

• Introduction: Overview of Toolkit (170 KB) Download PDF
• Module 1: Understanding Mental and Substance Use Disorders presents an overview of common mental and substance use disorders and how to seek help if you suspect your family member is experiencing mental health problems. (271 KB) Download PDF
• Module 2: Supporting Recovery from a Mental or Substance Use Disorder provides information and practical resources that can help families and their family member effectively manage their mental illness on a day-to-day basis and prevent a relapse of symptoms.
  (385 KB) Download PDF
• Module 3: Communication and Problem-Solving Skills provides practical skill training in effective communication and problem-solving.
  (329 KB) Download PDF
  
• Module 4: Caring for Yourself and Other Family Members informs on how a family member’s illness impacts all members of the family and suggestions for coping.
  (264 KB) Download PDF
  
• Module 5: Children and Youth in the School System provides information for parents on supports and services needed to ensure that children and adolescents with a mental illness can work to the best of their ability in school.
  ( 499 KB) Download PDF

Take a “Walk Through the Toolkit” PowerPoint overview (1.2MB)