Family-to-Family grads honored

Sparta — Twenty participants in the 12-week course, Family-to-Family, were recently honored by the Sussex County affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). All 20 successfully completed the intensive 30-hour course created by NAMI to help family members of persons with mental illness. The course is nationally recognized for helping families address the issues caregivers typically face. For many, the course provided their first opportunity to speak openly to members of other families dealing with similar issues, and to know that they are not alone. Participants also learned from the course that they are not to blame for their loved one’s illness. The course was taught in Sparta by Paige Coyne and Jeri Doherty. NAMI-Sussex will offer the course again in September 2010. For more information, call NAMI-Sussex President Kathleen Fitzsimmons at 862-268-5846, or visit NAMI-New Jersey online at www.naminj.org.