NAMI offers free course for parents of the behaviorally or mentally challenged

NEWTON — The Sussex County affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will be working in partnership with the Family Support Organization of Morris/Sussex to offer NAMI Basics, a free seven-session course for parents or other primary caregivers of children with emotional, behavioral or mental health challenges. Sessions will be held Wednesday evenings, beginning Sept. 21 and running through Nov. 2, 6:30 to 9 p.m., at the Family Support Organization office, 67 Spring Street, Newton. Trained caregivers, who have experienced challenges with their own children, will provide instruction on the comprehensive curriculum covering attention deficit disorder, major depression, bipolar disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, and childhood schizophrenia. Course participants will gain empathy and insight into the subjective experience of the child living with mental health and behavioral challenges. As caregivers, they will learn more effective listening, communication and problem-solving skills. Acknowledgment of the stresses and strains on the family, including siblings, will be another important component of the course. Current research related to the biology of mental health challenges is covered in the course, along with how to get an accurate diagnosis for a child. Treatment options are discussed, including how medications work, and their pros and cons in the treatment of children. Families will learn how to find supports and services within the school system and the community. A theme of the NAMI Basics course is that “No one should have to face this journey alone.” For more information, or to register, call 973-214-0632.