Welcome to the October issue of professional resources, produced by the BC Schizophrenia Society, in partnership with the BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information.

We hope this newsletter provides you with helpful information to assist you in collaborating with family members and supporters in the care of their loved one with a mental illness. A companion enewsletter is also available for family members.

Ongoing Family Resource

• Our Reaching Families Calendar 
• More info for Families
  • Kelty Resource Centre
  • BC Schizophrenia Society
  • The FORCE For Kids Mental Health or
  • General Mental Health and Addictions information
• Online Facilitated Family Support Groups

If this e-resource has been forwarded to you by a friend, you can sign up for your own copy

Featured Ramily Resources:

Kids in Control

The Kids in Control Support Group Program gives information, education and support to children eight to thirteen years of age who have a parent with a serious mental illness.

This program was recently evaluated as the masters thesis of UBC graduate student Karen Hamill. The results will be available soon, following publication, and showed that children experienced this program as very helpful. More information on the program includng downloadable brochure is available at http://www.kidsincontrol.bcss.org. 

The Kids in Control program helps provide the tools and coping skills that will help children grow up happy and healthy despite their challenges and risks. It helps children learn that their experiences are shared by other children and are normal given their situation.

The program helps children to feel that they are okay even though their family situation may be unusual. An important goal of the group is to let the children see that they are not the only ones in the world that are having this experience, and that it will be okay.

Kids in Control is built to help children between the ages of 8 - 13 years old who have a parent or an older sibling with serious and persistent mental illness.

Kids in Control offers eight sessions to children, approximately 2 hours once a week for eight weeks. A variety of activities and games are used to educate the children and provide a means for the group to support each child.

Classes

• Group Building and Storytelling
• Group Building and Learning to Identify Feelings
• Learning about Healthy Boundaries and How to Communicate Feelings
• Learning About Mental Illness
• Learning about the Treatment of Mental Illness
• Developing Resiliency
• Societal Attitudes and Stigma
• Self-Care and Self Esteem

To enquire about this program in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope and Mission contact Kashmir Besla 1-888-888-0029 ext. 40 kashmirb@hotmail.com

This program available in several locations throughout BC, including Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Langley, Tri-Cities and Victoria areas. New areas are added frequently so for information on service in your region, you can calso contact your local BCSS Coodinator.

Registered Disability Savings Plan

Families who are providing financial and material support to their family member with a family member are  often concerned about what will happen to that family member when they are no longer able to help. The newly created registered disability savings plan (RDSP) allows family and friends to contribute to a tax free savings and grant plan. PLAN is offering free telelearning courses for family members wishing to learn about the RDSP. They also offer assisted decision making courses. For more information see the list of family events at right or visit: www.plan.ca