These, together with family member care providers, add up to more than 1,500,000 Floridians. Living with and being responsible for the care of a loved one with a catastrophic mental illness is a physically, emotionally and financially draining experience. Recent legislative action curtailing the availability of Medicaid funds will further cripple an already seriously inadequate system. To be able to cope effectively in this environment, families need resource information, education on treatment therapies, medications and on-going emotional support. They then can deal more effectively with their family situation and reduce dependency on an already over-burdened system.
Families are increasingly the primary caregiver, and in too many cases, the sole caregiver.
We were founded in 1984 by families to provide peer group support, educate the public about these illnesses, and advocate for the creation of strong social and health care support services at the local, state and national levels. FAMI currently has 1600 families in 39 affiliates across Florida. We are the state affiliate of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, having 140,000 families in 1,100 affiliates throughout the nation. The potential influence of FAMI is enormous in helping to provide a better future for those who are mentally ill. For family members, that is reason enough.