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Family Advisory Board

Our Goals

Infuse family voice into iSPARC and Transitions ACR research and knowledge-sharing activities
Gather insight and feedback from family members of loved ones with mental illness on our work to improve the lives of people with lived mental health experience.

Our Objectives

Develop and discuss topics of interest surrounding important family issues and serious mental health conditions
Develop and improve relevant and effective research and products for other family members in the community by creating a family-driven product in partnership with the Transitions ACR
Identify ways to best share our products and knowledge in the community
Review parts of grants and provide feedback

We ask Family Advisory Board Members (FAB) to:

Share their experiences with supporting loved ones
Provide feedback on relevant topics concerning family issues that are important to them and their family
Give input on current products and research grants
Brainstorm additional products and research topics
Describe what other types of information would be most useful for them and their family

When a Mental Health Crisis Hit My Family:

Irene's Story of Hoping and Coping

Mara's Story of How Setting Boundaries Helped Her Cope

Our Products:

3 Tips to Improve Communication with Your Youth & Young Adults	Before a Mental Health Crisis Hits: Creating a Family Safety Plan

For Families or Caregivers: Self-Care is Putting on YOUR Oxygen Mask First	Parents Chime In: Our Self-Care Strategies While Supporting Loved Ones with Mental Health Conditions During a Pandemic

For more publications visit our resource library:

https://www.umassmed.edu/sparc/publications-and-products/issue-briefs-tip-sheets/parents-families/

For more information or to join our FAB, contact Jean Wnuk, FAB Facilitator.

Join the FAB

Now Recruiting New Members

Do you have experience supporting a loved one with a serious mental health condition? We are interested in adding your voice and experience to the work we do to improve outcomes for people with mental health conditions and their families.

Our goal is that this research is as consumer-led and consumer-informed as possible. We rely on the expertise of stakeholder advisory boards, one of which is the Family Advisory Board (family members of individuals with lived mental health experience).

We meet on the 3rd Thursday evening of each month via Zoom. For more information or to join, contact Jean Wnuk, FAB facilitator.