Moving the Dial On: Support for Families Affected by Mental Illness – Nov. 30, 2023

This event is hosted by Community-Based Research Canada as part of their “Moving the Dial” 2023 E-Learning series.

The Family Caregiving Project is a research study exploring the experiences of families affected by mental illness, being conducted in collaboration with community mental health agencies in Ontario. Unlike most other research on caregiving in the context of mental illness, this study focuses on the entire family, including those diagnosed with mental illness as family members and active participants in the navigation of caring needs. The project includes three components: 1) a series of family mental health café experiences that were held in Ontario through 2019-20; 2) an online survey of caregiving families in Ontario; 3) and in-depth interviews with families. The work of the project is ongoing.

The project has moved the dial by disseminating research findings to the public, community mental health agencies, and health professional educators to redefine family support as including diagnosed individuals in the promotion of family mental health, and finding ways to promote open discussion about how the family manages caregiving and care-receiving for all family members. Videos are being used in health profession education and numerous educational resources are available on our website. Available resources include: 1) an educator’s guide to support training of health care students and providers supporting families, 2) a facilitation toolkit to host your own Family Mental Health Café, 3) a discussion guide for community groups, and 4) a workbook to help families discuss caregiving issues.