Families facing mental health or substance use issues will be the center of attention at a public forum in Cedar Rapids next weekend. NAMI Linn County is hosting “Families on the Frontline: Navigating the Road to Recovery” on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the downtown Cedar Rapids Public Library.
Read More
The event will include three panel discussions addressing the challenges families encounter when seeking help, as well as current programs, interventions, and potential solutions. A Community Resource and Recovery Fair will be part of the event, providing attendees with connections to local organizations and support programs.
The first panel will feature family members sharing their experiences with treatment, addiction, recovery, justice, and reentry systems. The second panel will include experts in substance use treatment, diversion, disability services, crisis alternatives, and local government services.
Leslie Carpenter, legislative advocacy manager for the Treatment Advocacy Center from Iowa City, will discuss Assisted Outpatient Treatment, a civil court-ordered approach that can mandate adults with serious mental illnesses to engage in community-based care. The final panel will focus on collaboration, highlighting a new partnership between NAMI Linn County and the Crush of Iowa Recovery Community Center.
Before the main forum, a youth and young adult session will take place at 10 a.m., featuring NAMI Linn County programs such as CHANGE Makers and NAMI on Campus. Organizers noted that the forum was inspired by concerns expressed by families in NAMI Linn County’s Family Support Group.