For Mental Health Awareness Month, we are spotlighting the work of our Family Partners team, dedicated to assisting families who struggle with mental health challenges in their midst to connect with the resources they need: parent coaching, parenting classes, system navigation, resource finding, emotional support and child mentoring. The peer support provided by the team is especially effective in breaking through isolation, and often, the shame that comes from the social stigma around mental health issues and concerns.
Of all the families that Family Partners have worked with this past year, one story stands out. A grandmother and her three grandchildren, who she is raising, are working with Family Partners to overcome trauma due to parental addiction issues and incarceration. Our Youth Mentors are a resource to both the older and younger child and the grandmother has regular check-ins for support from the team. The team also has ensured that the family is connected to local food resources, helping them get meal deliveries (and even picking up the food!) regularly.
Each day, the Family Partners team goes above and beyond to guide the whole family to improved well-being. The principles that guide them? Honor people’s strengths, meet the unique needs of each family, remain respectful, and ensure a culturally-relevant and sensitive approach to well-being.