Who can parents turn to when their child is struggling with a mental illness, and they want to know they’re not alone? When they desperately want to talk to someone who gets it because their own child went through something similar?
At CASA Mental Health, they can speak to a FamilySmart family peer support worker.
CASA and FamilySmart partner to bring peer-to-peer, wrap-around supports to CASA families. This partnership started because families recognized that, while their children were receiving treatment at CASA, they as caregivers needed some extra support. This solution was created by families, for families, and it continues thanks to support from donors like you.
No matter where families are on their journey with CASA — whether they’re waiting for, receiving or transitioning out of our services — they can connect with a family peer support worker who provides emotional support, resources and a judgment-free space. It can look like a phone call, an email or an in-person conversation – whatever best suits the parent or caregiver.
When parents and caregivers are also supported, the whole family can thrive. You can support wrap-around care at CASA by making a gift today.
Looking for another way to give? CASA Mental Health offers easy, safe and secure alternatives to giving online. You can donate by e-transfer or over the phone at 780-400-2270. We also gratefully accept donations like securities.
Meet Lori Erickson, FamilySmart Family Peer Support Worker
An excerpt from our blog:
Lori connects with families, letting them know she’s here for them. She offers emotional support, helps parents navigate resources in the community and can provide information on CASA Mental Health and its programs. 
Lori is available to help whether families are waiting for services, accessing services or have transitioned out of services at CASA. “Most of all,” Lori says, “we make sure families know that they are not alone.”
Having lived experience is a key part of her role. She understands what families are going through because of her own family’s journey, and the experiences of the families she’s supported over the past seven years.
One of the best parts about her job? It’s that moment when a parent walks away with a bit more hope than they had when they came in and they feel empowered to support their child. When they say, “Thank you for listening,” or “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”
“Sometimes, at the end of a really hard conversation, they don’t have the words … so they’re like, ‘Can I hug you?’ I get a lot of hugs,” says Lori.
