Mental Health | Family Voices United

"...I wish I would have felt supported to address all of the major barriers and needs to quality parenting during the life of my case. Instead, I reacted with fear and stigma..."

"During the time that my 4-year-old child was in out of home care due to my substance use disorder (SUD), I knew I was also dealing with an undiagnosed mental... (Read more)

Mental Health

"...Having access to support groups and information through groups like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) helped our family understand the illness..."

Kinship Caregiver

Organization/Advocate

"As the parent of an adult who developed bipolar at 22, having access to support groups and information through groups like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) helped our... (Read more)

Mental Health

"...While my mother was given services for substance abuse, housing, and employment, she did not receive any or adequate mental health services. I truly believe if she had mental health support/services I would have been reunified with her."

Youth/Alumni

"Mental health services would have made a world of a difference for my family. My biological mother struggled with depression and other mental health issues. She was able to find... (Read more)

Mental Health

"...My parents didn't have support to access or understand how necessary mental health services were for them to keep their children..."

Youth/Alumni

"Absolutely, my parents had several mental health issues. Though child welfare workers suggested services, my parents weren't provided direct support in getting there. I believe intentional conversations explaining how necessary... (Read more)

Mental Health

"The services in place weren't addressing my issue specifically. Things I said in confidence were repeated in family therapy, which made things worse. I felt like I had no one."

Youth/Alumni

"The services in place weren't addressing my issues specifically. Things I said in confidence were repeated in family therapy, which made things worse. I felt like I had no one."... (Read more)

Mental Health

"Mental health services could have created stability, a safer living environment, and most importantly, I wouldn’t have ended in the foster system."

Youth/Alumni

"Mental health services could have created stability, a safer living environment, and most importantly, I wouldn't have ended in the foster system." Family Voices United member, Jaci, shares her thoughts... (Read more)

Mental Health

"Behavioral health services could have helped my mother... No one told her that her decision could impact our family for the rest of our lives... If someone had, I believe my family’s story would be different."

Youth/Alumni

"Behavioral health services could have helped my mother when she was told by the court that she couldn't go to our home during a 30-day reunification trial with our father... (Read more)

Mental Health

"I’ve gone through 15 years of abuse and actually talking to people that care to listen really helped me feel like I wasn’t alone. Everywhere I looked I saw everyone that supported me through my journey."

Youth/Alumni

"I've gone through 15 years of abuse and actually talking to people that care to listen really helped me feel like I wasn't alone. Everywhere I looked I saw everyone... (Read more)

Mental Health

Kinship grandparent shares her experience with mental health supports and navigating the system

Kinship Caregiver

As a kinship grandparent of an 11-year-old granddaughter and a 13-year-old grandson, life has changed for both the grandchildren and grandparents. Due to the addiction of their parents (one being... (Read more)

Kinship

Mental Health

"...I cannot help but think that if she had access to mental health treatment, she might not have relapsed and died at age 22 almost one year clean, leaving behind her 9-month-old daughter."

Kinship Caregiver

One of the most distressing situations my daughter had to deal with in her struggles to try and recover from substance use disorder and her heroin addiction was the lack... (Read more)

Mental Health