Informal and Formal Family Peer Support: The Impact and Evidence

Family peer support provides hope and community for families of loved ones of any age with mental health and substance use challenges, serious mental illnesses, and/or serious emotional disturbances. The growing base of evidence reaffirms an abundance of stories from families who have benefitted from family peer support.  From panelists’ brief presentations, you’ll gain an understanding of the research behind family peer support. Hear from Kyllor and Crystal DeGraff, a mother and father with lived experience whose lives were positively impacted by their introduction to peer support services. National Federation of Families affiliate TN Voices CEO Rikki Harris will share how her organization provides formal family peer support in the form of direct support, training and advocacy.  National Alliance on Mental Illness’s (NAMI) Chief Program Officer Dr. Teri Brister will share an example of an evidence-based informal family peer support program for parents and other family caregivers, NAMI Basics. Finally,…