How You Can HelpA Walk Through the Family Toolkit

A Resource for Families Supporting Children, Youth and Adults with a Mental or Substance Use Disorder2004

BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions InformationIn 2002, seven provincial mental health organizations joined together as BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information.Objectives of BC Partners:

Increase mental health literacy among British Columbians Provide evidence-based resources on mental health, mental illness and substance use problems Work in partnership with health authorities and community organizations to build a sustainable base of resources for people with mental or substance use problems, their families and the general public

A Walk Through the Family ToolkitIntroduction and Overview

In April 2003 the BC Schizophrenia Society, as a member of the BC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information, embarked on a project to develop a practical toolkit for families to help them support their family member in the management of a mental or substance use disorder.In November 2003, the FORCE Society for Kids Mental Health joined the project to assist in the development of an additional module Child and Youth Mental Health in the School System.

A Walk Through the Family ToolkitObjectives of Family Toolkit

Help families to identify warning signs of relapse and develop action plans in the event of relapseProvide practical information to families about the day-to-day management of mental illnessEnhance communications and problem-solving skills of all family membersEnable family caregivers to care for themselves and other members of the familyEmpower families to ensure that their child is supported in the school system

What you will find

Five individual modulesPractical informationWorksheets to help assist in illness management Links to other helpful resources

Detailed information about mental and substance use problemsInformation about specific local resources and programsWhat you wont find

A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

A Walk Through the Family ToolkitIntroduction to Toolkit

Management of Mental and Substance Use Disorders set of strategies and tools to minimize risk of relapse and maximize mental healthEvidence-based Information utilizes our most current understanding of how families can help and scientifically grounded evidence about illness management. Information comes from family education programs, professionals working with families and families expertise in supporting their loved ones.

A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

Important !!!!

Toolkit is not intended to replace professional medical advice in treating mental or substance use disorders

A Walk Through the FamilyToolkit

Module 1: Understanding Mental and Substance Use Disorders

What are mental and substance use disorders? How mental illness affects thoughts, feelings and behavioursTypes of mental and substance use disordersCauses and treatmentsCommon warning signs

Mental illness is a tragedy;It doesnt need to be a mystery

A Walk Through the Family ToolkitModule 1 contd.

What to do if you suspect a problemNavigating the mental health system (Child & Youth and Adult)Worksheet Local mental health resourcesWhat to do if your family member refuses to get help

A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

Module 2: Supporting Recovery From a Mental or Substance Use Disorder

What does recovery mean?Developing an illness management planRelapse prevention identifying triggers and warning signsWorksheets Family members relapse signature and ways to deal early with warning signsResponding to acute episodes hospitalizationMonitoring for signs of suicide

A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

Module 2 contd.

Family crisis planning worksheet and sample planHospital discharge planning with worksheetManaging medicationsAlcohol or other drug useManaging symptoms or behaviours of mental illnessWays to reduce stressSupporting other aspects of recovery

A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

Module 3: Communication and Problem-Solving Skills

To enhance skills families already haveClarify elements of good communicationAcknowledge communication is both verbal and nonverbalPractical skills Communication of praiseExpressing negative feelingsListeningWorksheet: Assess your communication skillsDealing with communication problems

A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

Module 3 contd.

Talking to children and youth about mental illnessTips for effective communicationConflict situationsDealing with conflictStructured approach to problem-solving (with a scenario)Stages of changeMotivating your family member to make a change

A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

Module 4: Caring for Yourself and Other Family Members

Recognition that mental illness affects all family membersGrieving lossesEffects of a family members mental illness on ParentsSpousesSiblingsYoung childrenAdult children

A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

Module 4 contd.

Taking care of yourselfSetting boundaries and limits

A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

Module 5: Child and Youth Mental Health in the School System

Problems children with a mental disorder may experience in schoolSubstance use problems and schoolSupporting your child in school working with the school systemParents rightsKeeping records

A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

Module 5 contd.

Ministry of Education policy Children with special needsAdapted and modified education programsIndividualized Education Plans with worksheet for planningIEP Reviews with worksheetAccommodations for students with a mental illness

A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

Module 5 contd.

Effective behaviour supportSteps towards changing challenging behaviours with worksheet on tracking behavioursHow parents can help Supporting learning at homeTools for students, families and teachersTips for teachers with students who have mental illness

A Walk Through the Family ToolkitQuestions??

How to Access Family ToolkitBC Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Informationwww.heretohelp.bc.ca1-800-661-2121A Walk Through the Family Toolkit

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, Highlights(Facilitator preparation: skim through Toolkit. Read some Examples to get flavor of real schools on which it is based. Skim App. C Profiles. Add your own examples throughout as you feel comfortable.Introduce yourself - name, your job, your role todayOther introductory remarks you may haveThe presentation Im about to share with you should take us approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. (Note to speaker: can do 1 hour version by eliminating last section, A Walk Through the Toolkit. Participants can look at these 7 slides on paper, if needed.)Please stop me if you have questions or commentsI will let you know if we need to limit questions to stay on scheduleToday, I am going to share highlights from an exciting toolkit that puts a new and practical spin on professional development (PD)As you will see, the Toolkit and this presentation show how PD can be a major contributor to a schools successLets get started!

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsIf you start flipping through the Toolkit, youll run into sections in the following order:

First youll see Quick Start. This is just a list of common topics you may be interested in that appear in multiple places in the Toolkit. This list helps you find those topics fast. In this and many of the other sections, the electronic version of the Toolkit available on NCRELs web-site has links that let you flip through the Toolkit electronically.

Next youll hit the Contents list, which gives you all the detail in chronological order for planning and implementation.

If you are going to be a major organizer of PD in a district or school, youll find reading the Introduction and Overview helpful.Throughout the Toolkit youll find boxes in the margins. They either focus on key points or provide basic definitions of PD lingo, like stakeholders and needs assessment.Professional Development: Learning from the Best, Highlights(Note to Speaker: Evaluate time remaining. Audience can used the following slides on their own if needed. It should take you 10 - 15 minutes for remaining 7 slides.)

Quickly, I would like to walk you through the format of the Toolkit. This should make it easier for you to dive into when you are ready.

First, as you may guess from what you have heard so far, the Toolkit addresses both content and process issues. This includes how to organize and implement customized PD as well as critical overarching PD elements that work in all schools.It does not list generic PD topics, but it provide resources for you, including web-sites that cover specific curriculum and pedagogy topics.It does not provide extensive Individual Development Planning tools or materials, but it can help you choose which of these to use from other sources.

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsOn page 4 of the Toolkit, youll find symbols that help you find references to these four important topics (Technology, Sustaining PD, Taking Action, and Evaluation) throughout the Toolkit. You can flip through these on paper or electronically.

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsA great tool for those of you who end up as organizers of major PD changes is the Action Planner: Organizers Checklist series running through the Toolkit. This is just a big to do list to keep every organizer from having to reinvent the wheel.It should be especially helpful to PD organizers who have had less organizing experience, but useful for everyone.The Action Planner points you to relevant Tools that appear at the end of each sub-section, too.Here is an example (slide).Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsThen you will find the major sections of the Toolkit, and you have heard the highlights from that!Each of these has sub-steps, with Themes, Examples, the Action Planner/Checklist and Tools.Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsHere is an example tool. If you have the Toolkit handy, look on page 39, and you can see how this appears in user-friendly format. You can see it covers the basics, and you can use it as is or adapt it to your needs. Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsFinally, the Appendices cover several items you may find helpful:

First, Appendix A has the criteria used to select the award winners and the related action steps the Toolkit uses.

Second, in Appendix B youll find a nice list of some other resources on PD. The web-sites may be especially helpful as they are likely to be reasonable current. Youll find an even more up-to-date list of resources at www.ncrel.org/pd

Third, in C youll find profiles of the Award winners, which will give you comfort that they really were an amazingly diverse group of schools that faced some great challenges.

Finally, at the end in D you will find a literature review that supports the criteria used by the U.S. Dept of Ed to choose these Award winners.

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsFinally, the Appendices cover several items you may find helpful:

First, Appendix A has the criteria used to select the award winners and the related action steps the Toolkit uses.

Second, in Appendix B youll find a nice list of some other resources on PD. The web-sites may be especially helpful as they are likely to be reasonable current. Youll find an even more up-to-date list of resources at www.ncrel.org/pd

Third, in C youll find profiles of the Award winners, which will give you comfort that they really were an amazingly diverse group of schools that faced some great challenges.

Finally, at the end in D you will find a literature review that supports the criteria used by the U.S. Dept of Ed to choose these Award winners.

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsFinally, the Appendices cover several items you may find helpful:

First, Appendix A has the criteria used to select the award winners and the related action steps the Toolkit uses.

Second, in Appendix B youll find a nice list of some other resources on PD. The web-sites may be especially helpful as they are likely to be reasonable current. Youll find an even more up-to-date list of resources at www.ncrel.org/pd

Third, in C youll find profiles of the Award winners, which will give you comfort that they really were an amazingly diverse group of schools that faced some great challenges.

Finally, at the end in D you will find a literature review that supports the criteria used by the U.S. Dept of Ed to choose these Award winners.

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsFinally, the Appendices cover several items you may find helpful:

First, Appendix A has the criteria used to select the award winners and the related action steps the Toolkit uses.

Second, in Appendix B youll find a nice list of some other resources on PD. The web-sites may be especially helpful as they are likely to be reasonable current. Youll find an even more up-to-date list of resources at www.ncrel.org/pd

Third, in C youll find profiles of the Award winners, which will give you comfort that they really were an amazingly diverse group of schools that faced some great challenges.

Finally, at the end in D you will find a literature review that supports the criteria used by the U.S. Dept of Ed to choose these Award winners.

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsFinally, the Appendices cover several items you may find helpful:

First, Appendix A has the criteria used to select the award winners and the related action steps the Toolkit uses.

Second, in Appendix B youll find a nice list of some other resources on PD. The web-sites may be especially helpful as they are likely to be reasonable current. Youll find an even more up-to-date list of resources at www.ncrel.org/pd

Third, in C youll find profiles of the Award winners, which will give you comfort that they really were an amazingly diverse group of schools that faced some great challenges.

Finally, at the end in D you will find a literature review that supports the criteria used by the U.S. Dept of Ed to choose these Award winners.

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsFinally, the Appendices cover several items you may find helpful:

First, Appendix A has the criteria used to select the award winners and the related action steps the Toolkit uses.

Second, in Appendix B youll find a nice list of some other resources on PD. The web-sites may be especially helpful as they are likely to be reasonable current. Youll find an even more up-to-date list of resources at www.ncrel.org/pd

Third, in C youll find profiles of the Award winners, which will give you comfort that they really were an amazingly diverse group of schools that faced some great challenges.

Finally, at the end in D you will find a literature review that supports the criteria used by the U.S. Dept of Ed to choose these Award winners.

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsFinally, the Appendices cover several items you may find helpful:

First, Appendix A has the criteria used to select the award winners and the related action steps the Toolkit uses.

Second, in Appendix B youll find a nice list of some other resources on PD. The web-sites may be especially helpful as they are likely to be reasonable current. Youll find an even more up-to-date list of resources at www.ncrel.org/pd

Third, in C youll find profiles of the Award winners, which will give you comfort that they really were an amazingly diverse group of schools that faced some great challenges.

Finally, at the end in D you will find a literature review that supports the criteria used by the U.S. Dept of Ed to choose these Award winners.

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsFinally, the Appendices cover several items you may find helpful:

First, Appendix A has the criteria used to select the award winners and the related action steps the Toolkit uses.

Second, in Appendix B youll find a nice list of some other resources on PD. The web-sites may be especially helpful as they are likely to be reasonable current. Youll find an even more up-to-date list of resources at www.ncrel.org/pd

Third, in C youll find profiles of the Award winners, which will give you comfort that they really were an amazingly diverse group of schools that faced some great challenges.

Finally, at the end in D you will find a literature review that supports the criteria used by the U.S. Dept of Ed to choose these Award winners.

Professional Development: Learning from the Best, HighlightsFinally, the Appendices cover several items you may find helpful:

First, Appendix A has the criteria used to select the award winners and the related action steps the Toolkit uses.

Second, in Appendix B youll find a nice list of some other resources on PD. The web-sites may be especially helpful as they are likely to be reasonable current. Youll find an even more up-to-date list of resources at www.ncrel.org/pd

Third, in C youll find profiles of the Award winners, which will give you comfort that they really were an amazingly diverse group of schools that faced some great challenges.

Finally, at the end in D you will find a literature review that supports the criteria used by the U.S. Dept of Ed to choose these Award winners.