Working with Children of Parents with Mental Ilnesses WALTER BENEDICT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

Objectives  1. Members will understand role of School Counselor in working with Children of Parents with Mental Illness and understand the role they can play.  2. Members will know crucial components in developing COPMI program.  3. Supervisees will understand the importance and relevance of having a COPMI program, including risk and protective factors.

Review of Topic Recent literature highlights the importance of programs aimed at working with Children of Parents with Mental Illnesses (COPMI) (Whitman, Eddy, Mayberry, & Reupurt, 2009; Reupurt & Mayberry, 2010), especially within a group context. However, literature suggests that many mental health professionals do not feel comfortable serving this population and often lack the proper education and training to do so. Through this activity, members will understand the importance of serving this population, potential risk and protective factors when working with COPMIs, and will leave with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively develop and implement strategies to work with this population.

Step 1: Introduction  What are COPMIs?  “COPMIs are the children of parents with mental illnesses. This is a unique population given the fact that COPMIs often have additional stressors that ‘typical’ children and adolescents do not experience.”  Why is this population important?  “Again, this population often faces a whole host of issues that should be considered when working with them.”  Risk factors (“Risk and Protective Factors (COPMI)” Document). A risk factor is some condition presented that increases the risk that a person will develop some undesired condition. Some of the risks that COPMIs face include:  Development of mental illness  Behavioral issues  Academic issues  Lower Self-Esteem, etc.

Step 2: Our Role as Professionals  Protective factors are conditions or attributes that mitigate or eliminate risk (interventions/strategies). Some protective factors include:  Psychoeducation  Counseling  Peer support groups, etc.  School Counselors and Social workers can support these students through counseling, but teachers and administrators can also be supportive by being aware of these facts and being understanding of the students.

Step 3: Open Questions  Does anyone have experience working with this population?  If yes:  What was the experience like?  What do you wish you knew before you began your work?

Step 4: Role Play  4a. Have a member volunteer to role play with the presenter; presenter assumes role as a child whose mother has a mental illness  4b.have member playing the role of the counselor read the brief biography (Role Play: CJ)

Role Play: CJ  CJ is a 16 year old African American student male who is currently a junior at a local urban high school. CJ has been referred to you by his English teacher. In addition to struggling to maintain a passing GPA, CJ also works up to 25+ hours a week at a local fast food restaurant trying to help support his family. His mother was recently diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and was recently fired from her job from missing work so much. On top of the stress from trying to stay on top of his school work, CJ’s hours have been cut at work which has been causing him to worry about his family’s finances. Additionally, he has become increasingly stressed as he has had to take care of his mother and two younger siblings in the mornings while his father is at work. This has resulted in CJ missing school and falling even further behind. CJ does not know what he should do. He wants to do well in school but he feels obligated to take care of his family. He is also very afraid of becoming “sick” like his mother.

Cont.  4c. Questions  How might you approach working with CJ?  What are some important factors to consider when working with CJ?  Why might you approach working with CJ differently than the general population (i.e. clients who are not considered COPMIs)?  How might you do this?  What are some potential interventions you can use?  When might you work independently with CJ as opposed to a group?  What are some potential resources?

Step 5: Education  5a. Risk Factors of COPMI  “A risk factor is any attribute, characteristic or exposure of an individual that increases the likelihood of developing a disease or injury” (World Health Organization). These include, but are not limited to:  genetic predisposition to mental illness  parents’ compromised parenting ability  relational difficulties  socioeconomic strain  emotional unavailability  uncertain family life

Cont.  5b. Protective Factors  “Protective factors…enhance the likelihood of positive outcomes and lessen the likelihood of negative consequences from exposure to risk.” (World Health Organization). These include, but are not limited to:  Adequate parenting  Warm parent/child relationships  Strong family communication  Adequate finances  Housing and education  Social connection and support  Proactive intervention

Cont.  5c. Program Components  Who will the program address? (The child, the parent, the family, etc.)  Considerations (using family focused/strength based approach, identifying needs, collaboration with others, available resources, specific age/developmental group, program evaluation, which methods/interventions to use, specific diagnoses, etc.)  5d. In developing a program to address this need, what are some other considerations you might have?

Step 6: Conclusion  6a. Summarize salient information  6b. Process information with group  What was most surprising (if anything) about what you learned today?  How do you feel about working with this population now compared to before the group?  What more do you wish you knew about this population?