A coalition led by the National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health, in partnership with the Center on Addiction, C4 Innovations, SAFE Project, and Boston University has been awarded SAMHSA's first National Family Support Technical Assistance Center (NFSTAC). NFSTAC is committed to providing tiered training and technical assistance (TTA), using a lifespan approach, that focuses on supports for families caring for loved ones who experience serious emotional disturbances, serious mental illness, and substance use disorders. This approach is anchored by the underlying principles that families play a vital role in supporting their loved ones, are the experts regarding their family support needs, and can be productively engaged to play a central role in treatment and recovery services. NFSTAC will deliver comprehensive TTA that advances partnerships between clinical and peer providers and family members of individuals experiencing SED/SMI/SUDs to promote stronger and more sustainable recovery-oriented outcomes. To further support families and providers, NFSTAC will focus on adapting and implementing recovery-oriented services with a targeted emphasis on workforce capacity and competencies, including cross-sector training and
certification of family peer specialists. Field-requested and on-demand resources
will be available directly to families and to the general public via a multimodal platform
that includes virtual training events, mobile apps and social media.
The NFSTAC team is comprised primarily of family members with loved ones of varying ages who experience SED/SMI/SUDs as well as individuals in recovery. This lived experience, combined with collective decades of experience as researchers, practitioners, TTA providers, and leaders in family engagement, will inform every aspect of NFSTAC. The effect of entrusting this agenda to a family-run organization, in collaboration with local, state and national family-centered partners, and strong alignment with professionals who advance the importance of family engagement in their work, will be transformational in the delivery of TTA. It will also emphasize to all stakeholders that lived experience and authentic family voice are cornerstones of the NFSTAC approach.
For more information, please contact Lynda Gargan,
