British Columbia Schizophrenia Society

Programs & Services

If you wish to help us help, you can donate online to BCSS here.

For immediate support please join one of our online family support groups. To speak to someone about information, support and resources in your area please visit our regional services page or contact BCSS at 1-888-888-0029. You can also call the local BCSS regional coordinator for your area.

Monthly Family Support Group Meetings

BCSS regions and branches offer support groups for family members and supporters of persons with schizophrenia and other serious and persistent mental illnesses. For a full list click on the link above or visit: www.bcss.org/category/calendar/monthly-meetings

Local referral and support

Do you have a family member with a mental illness? Are you wondering what services are available for serious mental illness in your community and how to access them? Need help figuring out what to do? BCSS can help. We have staff and volunteers in locations near you who can talk to you about your options and help you get connected. For contact info, please visit the link above for a list of locations or contact BCSS at 1-888-888-0029 to be referred to the person nearest you.

Teens in Control

Educational and Support Group for teens who have a parent with a mental illness

Ulysses Agreement – planning for support

A Ulysses Agreement is a voluntary plan that allows a parent to plan how their children will be cared for should they relapse and be temporally unable to care for their children. Help to create these plans is available in Boston Bar, Hope, Agassiz, Mission, Abbotsford, Langley, White Rock & Surrey from Mark Littlefield at (604) 832-0705. Outside the Fraser region, please call Mark for more information or click on the link for written information and templates.

Reaching Families Project

This project provides assertive outreach to family members and supporters of persons with a mental illness through interconnected online tools including online support groups, e-newsletters and a calendar of events. Visit www.reachingfamiliesproject.org for more.

Calendar of training, support and other events in BC

Our online calendar at www.bcss.org/calendar contains support groups, training and events for people with a mental illness and their family and supporters. It is updated regularly and includes events and resources from all over British Columbia.

Online Support Groups for Family / Supporters

Visit www.reachingfamiliesproject.org to participate in our online support groups for family members and supporters.

Family Respite Program

The Family Respite Program provides a modest amount of funding to families to pay for activities or services to help give family members helping their ill relative a break or rest. As families are all different, each family is helped to come up with a respite plan that works for them. Visit http://www.bcss.org/respite for more information. For service in the Fraser region contact 604 608-0477

ReachOut Psychosis Concert and Education Program for Youth

A fun and interactive performance that aims to educate young people about the symptoms of this brain condition and where to get help. Delivered to tens of thousands of youth each year in secondary schools across BC. More information at reachoutpsychosis.com

Partnership Education

Partnership Education is based on a personal storytelling model. It is a unique and powerful presentation that helps people in the community to understand the nature and prevalence of chronic and severe mental illness. A Partnership presentation is a panel of three guest speakers - a person with a psychiatric diagnosis, a family member, and a mental health professional. The three guests are presented as a team and each describes their own personal experience with mental illness. For information about volunteering for or arranging for a partnership presentation in your area, please contact the BCSS staff person or volunteer near you.

Kids in Control Support Group Program

The Kids in Control Support Group Program, created by the BC Schizophrenia Society, gives information, education and support to children eight to thirteen years of age who have a parent with a serious mental illness. The Teens in Control program is now available for Teens. For more information visit: www.bcss.org/kidsincontrol

Strengthening Families Together – 10 session group for family and friends

Do you have a relative or friend with a serious mental illness? Strengthening Families Together is a 10-session group for families and friends, which provides information, skill-building, and support. Offered throughout BC in spring and fall. Contact your local branch for details.

Family-to-Family Education Program (Replaced by Strengthening Families Together)

This program has been replaced by the Strengthening Families Together program. It is currently offered independently in Terrace, under separate license with NAMI.

Family Support Buddy Program

The program matches volunteers with persons who are family members of persons with a serious and persistent mental illness. The volunteers, who are also family members of a person with a mental illness, provide peer listening and some information during a weekly phone call or visit. This program is not currently operating but full program materials are available at the link above for organizations or branches who would like to offer it.

B.R.I.D.G.E.S. Education and Support Program

BRIDGES is a course taught by consumers for consumers. BRIDGES helps people learn things that will help them in their journey to recovery. People who have taken the course find it helps them to be part of their own treatment. In the course, students learn about psychiatric diagnoses. They also learn about what mental health treatments work best. More information: www.bcss.org/bridges

Partnership Puppeteer Program

A puppet show that educates grade 4/5 students in order to give them accurate information and to dispel the myths and misunderstandings about mental illness. This program is currently offered in Penticton, Campbell River and Courtenay. Please also see a similar puppet show offered in the Terrace area