Bringing Family Lived Experience To You



April 1st, 2025 | Volume 3, Issue 6

Each year, during the first full week of May, NFF takes the lead in celebrating the mental health of children and youth. This year Children's Mental Health Action Week (CMHAW) is a call to action. The campaign theme, "That's a WRAP!", focuses on Wellness, Resilience, Action, and Purpose. Share our infographic with your networks!

Take ACTION with us this May by following us on social media. During every week in May, we will focus on each element of WRAP. Join us there to learn more and to share with others in your network or community.

We are overjoyed with the amazing presentation proposals we received! The 2025 NFF Conference is going to have some amazing sessions. All presenters will be notified of their acceptance by May 1 and must be registered by June 1.

Our annual conference generates a large amount of discussion on current challenges and trends pertaining to families and the health of their loved ones from a family-driven approach. Join us in Chicago this November to network and learn alongside families, family peers, and other stakeholders working to further the acceptance of families impacted by mental health and/or substance use disorders. Early bird and group discount registration is now open. Register now to save!

Welcome New NFF Family Member Jack!

NFF is elated to share that our Project Ninja Angela Radzevich gave birth to a healthy baby boy Jack in early February. Jack is a little ray of sunshine, now able to flash the sweetest smiles that melt hearts in an instant. He’s as stubborn as he is cuddly, already showing a strong-willed spirit! He takes eating very seriously and is growing so fast! He has already had his Nana and Grandad visit from England and soaked up all their love and cuddles. The now-expanded Radzevich family has been on a couple of adventures to visit friends in Tennessee and to the zoo and parks in Indiana. Jack's favorite thing in the world—besides eating—is the car seat and going for drives! Congratulations, Angela!

Affiliate and Partner News

Welcome New Affiliate Families Advocating for Voices of Resilience

Georgia

Families Advocating for Voices of Resilience (FAVOR) promotes mental health action and self-awareness in an effort to stop the stigmatization of Georgians with mental illness, especially children and young adults. They employ Certified Peer Specialists-Parent and Certified Peer Specialists-Youth to work in GA's System of Care to use their lived experiences to support families by educating, motivating, and empowering all parents. Welcome to NFF, FAVOR!

Welcome New Partner Citizens Changing the Community

Georgia

Citizens Changing the Community provides quality care for Georgia families through a collaboration between families and community partners to meet the intellectual, moral, social, emotional, and physical needs of the families that they serve. They also provide assistance with small and new business development, as well as job creation and training services. They offer peer counseling, mentoring, coaching, referrals to substance abuse services, life skills, recreational activities, and more for veterans, teens, and survivors of abuse. Welcome to NFF, Citizens Changing the Community!

Family Collective Podcast: Families Traveling the Journey of Recovery

The fourth episode of NFSTAC's Family Collective podcast focuses on Families Traveling the Journey of Recovery. Annie Powell leads the new Center for Addiction Recovery Support (CARS), a new SAMHSA Center of Excellence. In this episode, she discusses CARS, Collective Impact, and what policy makers, families, and clinicians need to know about individuals and families traveling the journey of recovery.

Family Connections: Family-Led Crisis Planning

April 3rd, 1:30 p.m. ET

Join this session to learn why caregiver voice is instrumental in decision-making when a loved one experiencing a serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, and/or substance use disorder has a crisis. We'll look at how crisis plans are created and used, discuss practical strategies, and talk about why it’s important that families lead the planning process.

Office Hour: Medicaid Billing for Family Peer Support

April 8th, 3:00 p.m. ET

Gain strategies for family-run organizations, providers, and other stakeholders to navigate the Medicaid billing system to provide family peer support services to families impacted by serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, and/or substance use who rely on Medicaid to fund their behavioral health treatment.

Webinar: Supporting your Loved Ones with Mental Illness or Substance Use Disorder in Addressing Tobacco Use - The Role of Families and Family Peers

April 16th, 2:00 p.m. ET

This webinar with the National Center of Excellence for Tobacco-Free Recovery will explore the important role that families have in supporting their loved ones with mental illness and/or substance use disorders in addressing their tobacco use. Join us to learn facts about tobacco use to dispel common myths related to addressing tobacco use and gain resources.

March Event Recordings

Office Hour: Teaming with Mobile Crisis to Connect Families to Support with Gayle Rose, Ashley Roberts, and Jessica Hofstetter

Webinar: Navigating the Family - Spouses with Sue Abderholden

From the White House

Secretary Kennedy Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to Address National Opioid Crisis

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. renewed the public health emergency declaration addressing our nation’s opioid crisis, which will allow sustained federal coordination efforts and preserve key flexibilities that enable HHS to continue leveraging expanded authorities to conduct certain activities in response to the opioid overdose crisis.

Follow our Legislative and Advocacy Facebook page and use the data and facts shared there in concert with your advocacy skills to represent the voice of families where you live.

Alcohol Awareness Month

How does alcohol affect our health? Visit the National Institute of Health (NIH) Rethinking Drinking website for facts and data about drinking, to understand Alcohol Use Disorder, and to access free tools anyone can use to evaluate their drinking habits. They also provide social media resources for seasonal reminders about alcohol.

Visit the Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Network for their new Alcohol Awareness Toolkit: #ProofIsInTheNumbers. The toolkit offers social media resources, a planning template for April, sample proclamations, and more.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains why caffeine doesn't reduce the effects of alcohol on your body. Parents, family members, and caregivers can also find family-focused resources in the Partnership to End Addiction's new Alcohol Resource Center.

National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Every child should grow up feeling safe, supported, and protected. That's why April's National Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect through education and safe environments. Learn more and find resources here.

The Child Abuse Prevention Center is a state, national, and international service, with a training, advocacy, and resource center dedicated to protecting children and building healthy families. Access their comprehensive CAP 2025 Toolkit for resources, talking points, and other family-strengthening tips and activities.

The National Children's Alliance provides national statistics on child abuse, plus prevention information and community resources.

Upcoming Family Mental Health Events

CRS-TTAC's Workforce Wellness Series: Stress and Burnout in the Crisis Workforce

April 3rd, 2:00 p.m. ET

MHA's Community-Driven Approach: Clinicians, Healers, and Healing Hubs

April 7th, 4:00 p.m. ET

PACER Center's Effective Communication When Addressing Bullying

April 9th, 1:00 p.m. ET

MHA's Community-Driven Approach: Effective Programming to Support Those Affected by a Death by Suicide

April 21st, 2:00 p.m. ET

NTTAC's Family Exchange: Peer Networking for Family Leaders who Foster and Support Family Engagement

April 30th, 3:00 p.m. ET

Family Engagement & Support in Youth Mental Health Care

Youth Move National Peer Center and Be Strong Families partnered to help mental health providers, the family peer workforce, family advocates, and communities with a new guide.

Family Engagement & Support in Your Mental Health Care outlines how providers can create collaborative environments for youth, young adults, and their families during mental health treatment. It also respects the voices of youth and their families through supportive relationships, understanding the impact of trauma, and responsive resources. When families are actively involved, communities can improve outcomes and create stronger support systems for youth.

2025 School Mental Health Report Card

One of the most effective tools to improve children’s health and wellbeing is school-based mental health services, according to a new report from inseperable.

The national 2025 report card finds that states that have expanded school mental health services show a positive impact for students according to their latest data.

The report notes there is a need to continue these positive trends to improve mental healthcare access. Students flourish when they can access resources proven to promote mental well-being within a safe and supportive learning environment.



NEW Center for Mental Health Implementation Support

The Stanford Center for Dissemination and Implementation in the Stanford University School of Medicine recently received grant funding from SAMHSA to establish the Center for Mental Health Implementation Support (CMHIS). Adopting an effective mental health program or service is not just about the “what” of the program, but also the “how” of practice change. CMHIS focuses on the “how” and creates tools and resources to support organizations in preparing, implementing, and sustaining effective mental health prevention, treatment, and recovery programs and services.

HRSA's Telehealth for Children with Special Needs

When a child has special healthcare needs, it can be a team effort between a family, their child, and healthcare providers. Telehealth can also help deliver family-centered care in a different way.

Health Resources & Services Administration's (HRSA) resources support parents and caregivers of children with special needs by using telehealth. Learn how to involve the whole family with their provider tipsheet on Telehealth for Children with Special Needs. Parents and caregivers can find family-focused resources on telehealth and unique healthcare needs.

NatCon25 – Register Today! 

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing's NatCon25 offers three days of nonstop learning, networking, and entertainment. Don’t miss the biggest event in behavioral health care in 2025—join 5,000+ health care professionals in downtown Philadelphia from May 5th - 7th! Come early for the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Summit on May 4th to network with colleagues, explore new teaching techniques and hear from the best minds in MHFA.