Services for people who support adults living with mental health and/or substance use concerns.
Family Support Services (FSS) serves adult family members, friends, and other natural supports who are supporting an adult experiencing mental health and/or substance use concerns.
The service offers support, education, and guidance to help supporters better understand mental health and substance use challenges and strengthen their ability to provide care.
Supporters can expect:
- Individual coaching sessions with a clinical counsellor or family peer (up to eight sessions)
- Family and friends support groups
- Information sessions
- Education events and resources on mental wellness and psychosis
- Skill-building groups
- Family Connections Program (a group focused on building skills related to emotion challenges and offered with The Sashbear Foundation)
- Tools and resources about mental health, substance use, reducing harm and preventing overdoses, such as MindWell app to support their own mental health and wellbeing
- Help connecting clients with Fraser Health and other community services
- Family Huddle newsletter
- Navigating the health care system within the province
- Wellness planning
Hours of operation
Monday - Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Sometimes, FSS offer appointments, group sessions or events in the evening. Regional coordinator for FSS is available Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Eligibility
- Anyone aged 19 or older, including older adults
- Anyone providing unpaid support to an adult or an older adult who is living with mental health and/or substance use concerns
- The person receiving mental health and substance use care must live within the Fraser Health region and connected to a Fraser Health Mental Health and Substance Use Service
- The family and natural supports can be living anywhere within Canada
Referral
To make a referral, clients and family and natural supports can call 1-833-898-6200 and leave a message with your name and contact number or send an email to fss@fraserhealth.ca.
Family and natural supports can also self-refer by calling Fraser Health Access Line: Mental Health and Substance Use (Home of Access Central for Substance Use Services).
Language (s) Offered
The service is provided in English. Language specific clinicians are available in Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Provincial Language Services for interpreters are also available as needed.