Our guest tonight is Joanne Riebschleger, Ph.D., MSW. We will discuss how children of a parent with a mental illness describe mental illness and their stated needs for information and support. Parent perspectives will also be discussed. Dr. Riebschleger is working toward building a ten session program called Youth Education and Support or YES. The YES program teaches middle school children about mental illness, and/or substance abuse disorders. In 2013-2014 it was one of 25 prevention programs selected nationwide for enhanced evaluation support by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Listeners will hear about the lively, hands-on activities of the program and emerging program outcomes.

  Joanne Riebschleger, Ph.D., MSW is a family member of people with mental illnesses and an Associate Professor of Social Work at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. She lectures internationally and nationally on issues pertaining to children with a parent with a mental illness (COPMI), their parents, and other family members. Examples of her current research in these areas include: 1) Developing an evidence-based mental health literacy program for middle school children who have a family member with mental illness and/or substance abuse; 2) Exploring parents’ who have a mental illness descriptions of their experiences with family courts; and 3) Assessing factors that contribute to effective recruitment of COPMI youth, parents, and families to prevention programs for the children.