Resources for Family & Friends

“A Look Inside Early Psychosis Care in Pennsylvania”

At a PA FEP (First Episode Psychosis) center, treatment is designed with each individual in mind and involves many types of trained, caring professionals who will work with each person on a plan of recovery. The Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) model is a comprehensive and team-based model, emphasizing hope, empowerment, and collaborative management of care. Watch this short video to learn more.

Video Link

HeadsUp Animated “What is Psychosis Video”

A simple, short educational video to use and share.

"What is Psychosis?" Video

HeadsUp Animated Video “What is Coordinated Specialty Care?”

A brief educational video from HeadsUp about Coordinated Specialty Care which is the type of care someone receives at a Pennsylvania First Episode Psychosis (FEP) Center.  It is available for use to help spread information about psychosis to those who may need support.

What is Coordinated Specialty Care?

HeadsUp Early Psychosis Family Pamphlet

A guide for caregivers who may be supporting someone experiencing early psychosis

Family Pamphlet

HeadsUp Navigating a Mental Health Crisis Insert

Navigating a Crisis Insert

Protecting Your Child’s Mental Health in College: What Can Parents Do?

A resource provided by the JED foundation

NAMI Mental Health College Guide

This guide was made to help students navigate some of the life changes that come with heading off to college.

NAMI College Guide

NAMI Keystone

“NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania is a 501(c)(3) grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children, adolescents, adults, and families affected by mental illness through recovery-focused support, education, and advocacy.”

NAMI Keystone

Schizophrenia and Psychosis Action Alliance

Schizophrenia and Psychosis Action Alliance

RAISE Resources for Patients and Families

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) list of resources to assist in increasing understanding of diagnoses, symptoms, treatment options, and strategies for living with psychosis.

RAISE Resources for Patients and Families

Students with Psychosis

“Students With Psychosis offers 28+ hours of programming each week available at no cost to students and advocates globally. Over 75% of SWP leadership is from the lived experience perspective. It is their mission to empower student leaders and advocates worldwide through community building and collaboration.”

Students with Psychosis

Voice Collective

“A UK-wide, London-based project that supports children and young people up to 25 years old who hear voices, see visions, have other ‘unusual’ sensory experiences or beliefs. Offers support for parents/families, and training for youth workers, social workers, mental health professionals and other supporters.  Funded by BBC Children In Need and the John Lyon’s Charity.”

Voice Collective

Early Assessment and Support Alliance (EASA)

EASA

Living Well with Schizophrenia

“This is a channel dedicated to increasing knowledge around schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and mental illness. These videos are intended to be a resource for people with the diagnosis, their loved ones, and for people who just want to learn more about the illness.”

Living Well with Schizophrenia

The School of Hard Talks Online

Created by Handhold, a team of mental health and child development experts in partnership with parents, these seven short lessons illustrate strategies you can use in any situation to have calmer, more productive interactions. It’s a great resource for parents who want to support their almost-grown-up kids in making healthy decisions.

Families for Depression Awareness

“Helps families recognize and cope with depression and bipolar disorder to get people well and prevent suicides. Offers education, training, and support to unite families and help them heal while coping with mood disorders.”

Families for Depression Awareness

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)

“Offers peer-based, wellness-oriented support and empowering services and resources available when people need them, where they need them, and how they need to receive them—online 24/7, in local support groups, in audio and video casts, or in printed materials distributed by DBSA, their chapters, and mental health care facilities across America.”

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

A Sibling’s Guide to Psychosis

A guide intended to provide information and support to teens and young adults who have a sibling experiencing psychosis.

Sibling's Guide to Psychosis

Minding your Mind

“Dedicated to ending stigma and destructive behaviors associated with mental health issues, moving away from a crisis-based response to prevention through education. We use the power of storytelling to provide evidence-based education on mental health challenges to our audiences. Our inspiring programs create safe communication spaces to discuss signs and symptoms often associated with mental health challenges and how to address them.”

Minding your Mind

Pennsylvania Health Law Project

“PHLP is a non-profit legal services organization that represents Pennsylvanians who need help getting or keeping MA. Visit their online resource library to find self-help materials related to various health care topics including MA.”

PHLP

PA Medicaid-PH95 Guide

Medicaid-PH95

PA Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities (MAWD) A Guide to Eligibility

PA Medicaid MAWD

Caregiver Action Network

“Working with family members of people affected by mental health concerns, offering a Blueprint – a guide for families of a loved one with mental health issues.”

Caregiver Action Network

Emotions Anonymous

“The EA membership is composed of people who come together in weekly meetings for the purpose of working toward recovery from emotional difficulties. EA members are from many walks of life and are of diverse ages, economic statuses, social and educational backgrounds. The only requirement for membership is a desire to become well emotionally”

Emotions Anonymous

The Schizophrenia Oral History Project

“The Schizophrenia Oral History Project (TSOHP) is an archive of life stories of persons with schizophrenia. Our narrators are women and men with schizophrenia who are sharing their lives in an effort to increase understanding and reduce stigma related to mental illness. Their stories reveal not only their struggles, but their remarkable courage and resilience, their hopes, dreams and talents, and their concern for others. In addition to documenting their histories, we are sharing their stories in presentations for professionals and the general public.”

The Schizophrenia Oral History Project

PFLAG

“PFLAG is the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies. With nearly 400 chapters and 250,000 members and supporters crossing multiple generations of families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas across America, PFLAG is committed to creating a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued, and affirmed.”

PFLAG

The Trevor Project

“The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ young people. We provide information & support to LGBTQ 
young people 24/7, all year round.”

The Trevor Project

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

“The leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on job accommodations and disability employment issues. Serving customers across the United States and around the world for more than 35 years, JAN provides free one-on-one practical guidance and technical assistance on job accommodation solutions, Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related legislation, and self-employment and entrepreneurship options for people with disabilities.”

Job Accommodation Network

Mind Apps-Health Index & Navigation Database

“There are an estimated ten thousand mental health apps available today, offering a range of possibilities from connection with a clinicain to symptom monitoring. Apps can be useful in care, but it’s important to be cautious about choosing a suitable app. The goal of this database is to equip users with the information necessary to make a decision based on the app characteristics that matter most to them.”

MindApps