Family Advisory Board (FAB)
Our Goals
- Infuse family voice into Transitions ACR research and knowledge-sharing activities
- Gather insight and feedback from family members of loved ones with mental illness on our work to improve the lives of people with lived mental health experience.
Our Objectives
- Develop and discuss topics of interest surrounding important family issues and serious mental health conditions
- Develop and improve relevant and effective research and products for other family members in the community by creating a family-driven product in partnership with the Transitions ACR
- Identify ways to best share our products and knowledge in the community
- Review parts of grants and provide feedback
We ask Family Advisory Board Members (FAB) to:
- Share their experiences with supporting loved ones
- Provide feedback on relevant topics concerning family issues that are important to them and their family
- Give input on current products and research grants
- Brainstorm additional products and research topics
- Describe what other types of information would be most useful for them and their family
When a Mental Health Crisis Hit My Family:
Irene's Story of Hoping and Coping
Mara's Story of How Setting Boundaries Helped Her Cope
Our Products:
For more publications visit our resource library:
https://www.umassmed.edu/sparc/publications-and-products/issue-briefs-tip-sheets/parents-families/
The Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research is a center within UMass Chan Medical School, Implementation Science & Practice Advances Research Center (iSPARC). The Center represents a national effort that aims to improve the supports for youth and young adults, ages 14-30, with serious mental health conditions. We are located at the UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA in the Department of Psychiatry. The Family Advisory Board is supported under grants with funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, (NIDILRR), United States Departments of Health and Human Services (NIDILRR grant numbers 90RTEM0005 and 90RTCP0010), and co-funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, SAMHSA, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.​
