Classes help parents cope with child's mental illness

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Ventura County is an organization made up of family members and concerned individuals whose lives are affected by the neurobiological brain disorders of loved ones. NAMI provides education, support, and advocacy to help eliminate stigma, to improve quality in the system of care and to provide resources for all persons affected by mental disorders.

NAMI Ventura supports family members of adults with mental disorders by providing ongoing "Family-to-Family" education classes. The 12-week course is structured to help family members understand and support their loved ones while maintaining their own well-being.

Their new "Hand-to-Hand" program helps families of children experiencing an emotional/ mental/neurobiological disorder such as attention deficit disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, major depression, and childhood schizophrenia, among others.

"Hand-to-Hand" is a nineweek education program with each week of the curriculum covering a different topic, such as: understanding your child's diagnosis, developing family coping skills, counseling and therapy, medications, IEP/special education needs, mental health, juvenile justice and child protective agencies.

NAMI Ventura County is offering two "Hand-to-Hand" classes that begin on Tues., April 25 at the following locations.

Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon at Many Mansions Esseff Village classroom, 1423 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at United Way/Interface conference room, 1317 Del Norte Road, Camarillo.

There is no charge for families. Materials are free. To find out more about NAMI Ventura, please call (805) 641-2426 or visit www.namiventura.org.