The Program

NAMI’s Family-to-Family Program has two primary components—education and support.
NAMI-Vermont developed the original Family-to-Family Education Program course in 1990.
NAMI North Carolina began offering it in 1996.
There are now more than 2,000 trained volunteer Family-to-Family course instructors in 40 states and two Canadian provinces.
There are currently 173 trained Family-to-Family program volunteers in North Carolina, including course instructors and support group facilitators.
Nationwide, there are 40,000 course graduates, including about 1,200 in North Carolina.
When family members take this or a similar course, the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry reports a 50 percent reduction in relapse, increased stabilization and a decrease in hospitalizations.

The Course

The course consists of 12 sessions, each lasting 2½ hours.
The curriculum focuses on brain disorders classified as “severe and persistent” mental illnesses, including—

Students learn about current medical theories of the causes, diagnosis and treatment of each illness.
In empathy workshops, class participants learn what it’s like for their loved ones to have a mental illness. They also develop problem-solving, communication and advocacy skills.
Class participants learn about professional and support services and other resources available locally.
For many participants, the class is their first opportunity to meet and talk with other people coping with a family member’s mental illness. The mutual support shared among classmates is a primary course benefit.
NAMI offers the course, class handouts and instructor training at no charge to qualified participants.

Course Participants

The Family-to-Family Education course is limited to 20 participants per session.
The course is offered only to people involved in caring for an adult family member with a diagnosed severe and persistent brain disorder.
To benefit from the course, participants must have accepted their family member’s diagnosis as valid.
Families in crisis are not good candidates for the course. They benefit more from referrals and support from their local NAMI affiliate and/or the NAMI North Carolina Helpline at (800) 451-9682. Once the crisis has passed, they are encouraged to enroll in an upcoming Family-to-Family course session.
Families of children and adolescents diagnosed with emotional disorders and mental illnesses are usually referred to NAMI North Carolina’s Young Families Program.
Participants must pre-register for the course so instructors can make sure they meet the criteria.
Course graduates frequently join their local NAMI North Carolina affiliate.

Course Instructors

All Family-to-Family Education course instructors are volunteers.
All instructors must have a family member with a severe mental illness and must be willing to disclose their personal experiences in class.
All instructors must complete 20 hours of training by the NAMI North Carolina staff. Teacher training takes place over three days, usually in Raleigh.
Most instructors team-teach in pairs.