Supporting Family Members of Youth in Mental Health Crisis

The Sibling Support Program: A Family-Centered Mental Health Initiative, developed at the E.K. Shriver Center of UMass Medical School, addresses the impact of a youth’s mental health challenges on typically-developing siblings and caregivers. The project is an IRB-approved research study at Cambridge Health Alliance, and the principles of the project have been implemented at three sites in Worcester that provide gradated levels of care, ranging from residential to community-based. Findings show that regardless of the severity of a child’s mental health challenges, as evidenced by the level of care the child receives, family members display a similar need for support. The three sites in Worcester are: Continuing Care Units (CCU) at Worcester Recovery Center & Hospital; the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (CANDO) at UMass Medical School; and a community collaboration between the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program (McPAP), the Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL), and the department of psychiatry at UMass Medical School. The project aims to increase resiliency and mitigate the trauma commonly experienced by siblings of youth with mental health needs; build skills, competency and confidence among parents; strengthen the family unit; and build capacity among psychiatry trainees. Interventions include psycho-educational groups for caregivers and sibling support groups for children growing up alongside the affected youth. Participants completed surveys following the intervention to report on knowledge learned, satisfaction level, and behavioral change anticipated by the participant. This innovative program utilizes parent mentors and trainees to deliver interventions, with high satisfaction scores among participants. Results suggest that a child’s mental health challenges can be traumatic for family members, and that sharing stories and being introduced to coping skills can help alleviate the stress and anxiety related to living with a child with mental health issues. The program serves as a training elective for psychiatry residents at UMMS

Sibling Support Program: A Novel Peer Support Intervention for Parents, Caregivers and Siblings of Youth Experiencing Mental Illness

Caregivers and siblings of youth with mental illness often experience role-related psychological challenges, and it is important to focus on the needs of these family members. Existing literature demonstrates that caregivers and affected children benefit from participation in peer support and family-centered programs. This paper describes the Sibling Support Program: A Family-Centered Mental Health Initiative (SSP), a novel intervention for families of youth with mental illness. The SSP distinguishes itself from existing family-centered programs in that it utilizes a unique combination of peer support, parent mentor guidance, and clinician-led group therapy. The paper details the structure of the treatment model and presents preliminary data from participant surveys. Results show preliminary indications that the program provides both emotional and practical benefits. Along with high satisfaction ratings, family members report decreased feelings of isolation, gains in knowledge, and more positive thinking after program participation. Caregivers report that the SSP helped improve their understanding about the impact of a child’s mental illness on family members, and that they learned about effective family management strategies and access to resources. Siblings report learning coping strategies and feeling better after meeting peers with shared experiences