Families of teens and young adults with mental illness lack the appropriate supportive tools

Too often our loved ones with mental illness end up in the criminal justice system, homeless, or worse. Skills vital to recovery are not provided to family caregivers. Most families feel isolated and overwhelmed. 58% of those receiving care, typically from parents, are between 18-39 years. On average, 32 hours per week is spent caregiving, typically over the course of 9 years.

My family friend Louis passed away after struggling for 3 years with schizoaffective disorder / bipolar type 1. The onset of Louis’ psychosis occurred when he was 19, first hospitalized in October 2014. From childhood through high school, Louis was happy, athletic, musically gifted, made friends easily, and achieved outstanding academic success. He was subsequently hospitalized three more times for durations of several weeks to months.

In March of 2017, Louis once again rejected therapy due to medication side effects along with non-acceptance of his condition, making it nearly impossible to manage. Two months later, in the throes of psychosis, he did not understand the danger posed by the nearby river. It is presumed that he perished on June 4, 2017.