NAMI
BASICS EDUCATION PROGRAM
The
fundamentals of caring for you, your family
and your child with mental illness
What is NAMI Basics?
NAMI Basics is the new signature education program for parents
and other caregivers of children and adolescents living with
mental illnesses. The course is taught by trained teachers
who are the parent or other caregivers of individuals who
developed the symptoms of mental illness prior to the age
of 13 years. All instruction and course materials are free
to class participants.
What are the goals of the NAMI Basics
program?
1. To give the parent/caregiver the fundamental information
necessary to be an effective
caregiver.
2. To help the parent/caregiver cope with the traumatic impact
that mental illness has on the child
living with the illness and the entire
family.
3. To provide tools for the parent/caregiver to use even after
completing the program that will
assist in making the best decisions possible
for the care of the child.
4. To help the parent/caregiver take the best care possible
of the entire family especially
themselves.
What does the course include?
Introduction to the normative stages of emotional reactions
of the family to the trauma of
mental illness
Insights into an empathic understanding of the subjective,
lived experience of the child living
with the mental illness
Current information about Attention Deficit Disorder, Major
Depression, Bipolar Disorder,
Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder,
Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive
Disorder, Childhood Schizophrenia and Substance
Abuse Disorders
Current research related to the biology of mental illness
and the evidence-based, most effective
treatment strategies available, including medications
used to treat mental illness in children and
adolescents
Specific workshops to learn problem solving, listening and
communication skills
Strategies in handling challenging behaviors in children and
adolescents
Information about the systems that are major players in the
lives of children and adolescents
with mental illness the school system
and the mental health system
Exposure to personal record keeping systems that have proven
to be effective for
parents/caregivers in their interactions with
the school and healthcare systems
Information on planning for crisis management and relapse
Information on locating appropriate supports and services
within the community
Information on advocacy initiatives designed to improve and
expand services, with an emphasis
on personal advocates for the parent/caregiver
and child on an individual level
Alicia Stevenson
NAMI Basics, Program Coordinator
908-788-8857
aliciastevenson@comcast.net
For more information
or class schedules in your area, contact your nearest Contact
Person
or the NAMI Basics Program Coordinator.
|
COUNTY
|
CONTACT PERSON
|
2008 CLASS
DATES
|
TIME
|
LOCATION
|
|
Atlantic
|
Gail Dembin
609-927-0215
Call FSO to register:
609-485-0575
|
Mondays: Sept.
8, 15, 22, 29 Oct 6, 13, 2008
|
6:30 pm
9 pm
|
Atlantic/Cape
Family Support Organization (FSO) office,
1601 Tilton Road, Northfield, NJ 08225
|
|
Burlington
|
Elaine Harris
609-265-8838
|
Mondays: Sept.
29, Oct. 6, 20,27 (No class 10-13-08 Holiday facility
closed), Nov. 3, 10, 2008
|
6:30 pm
9 pm
|
FSO of Burlington,
Lumberton Holly Office Center,
774 Eayrestown Rd., Lumberton, NJ 08048
|
|
Hudson
|
Martha Silva
201-320-0484
|
Saturdays: Oct
18, 25, Nov 1, 8, 15, 22, 2008
|
10:00 am - 12:30
pm
|
Family Support
Organization Of Hudson County,
705 Bergen Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07306
|
|
Hunterdon
|
Ino Sowder
908-236-8619
|
Mondays &
Thursdays (2x/wk): Sep 22, 25, 29, Oct 2, 6, 9, 2008
|
6:30 pm - 9:00
pm
|
Hunterdon Prevention
Resources office,
4 Walter Foran Blvd, Suite 410, Flemington, NJ 08822
|
|
Mercer
|
Joanne Johnson
908-281-6053
|
Fridays: Sept.
12, 19, 26, Oct. 3, 10, 17, 2008
|
7:00 pm
9:30 pm
|
NAM Mercer office,
3371 Brunswick Pike,
Suite 124, Lawrenceville
|
|
Middlesex
|
Alicia Stevenson
908-788-8857
|
Thursdays: Sept.
11, 18, 25, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 2008
|
7:00 pm
9:30 pm
|
Youth Advocate
Program office,
1440 How Ln, Suite 1A, North Brunswick
|
|
Monmouth
|
Shrabanee Shah
609-259-7139
|
Fridays Aug 8,
15, 22, Sep 5, 12, & 19 (no class Aug 29), 2008
|
7:00 pm
9:30 pm
|
CentraState Medical
Center, Star and Barry Tobias Ambulatory Campus, Health
Awareness Center, Suite 100, 901 West Main Street, Freehold
|
|
Ocean
|
Linda VanMelis
732-928-5608
|
Wednesdays: Oct
15, 22, 29, Nov 5, 12, 19, 2008
|
6:30 pm
9 pm
|
Ocean County FSO
office,
44 Washington St., Toms River
|
|
Somerset
|
Joanne Johnson
908-281-6053
|
Class cancelled.
Please check back later!
|
Resources
for Children
|