VIDEO: Unique program offers support to families of children with mental illness

Key takeaways:

• A support program for parents and siblings of children with mental illness features various forms of support.
• Preliminary participant reports indicate the program has emotional and practical benefits.

SAN FRANCISCO — In this video exclusive from the American Psychiatric Association annual meeting, Emily Rubin, LICSW, MSW, MA, discusses a unique support program for families with a child dealing with mental illness.

The Sibling Support Program: A Family-Centered Mental Health Initiative involves a combination of peer support, parent mentoring and clinician-led group therapy for the families of these youth. Preliminary responses from participants in the program revealed positive outcomes, such as decreased feelings of isolation, increased knowledge and increased positive thinking, according to a poster presented here.

Rubin, who is the director of Sibling Support at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center and an assistant professor in psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, elaborates on the features of the program and the results from participant surveys.

Reference:

• Rubin E, et al. Sibling Support Program: A novel peer support intervention for parents, caregivers and siblings of youth experiencing mental illness. Presented at: American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting; May 20-24, 2023; San Francisco.