Navigating Mental Health and Substance Use Care: An Introductory Guide for Families

Source:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Navigating Mental Health and Substance Use Care: An Introductory Guide for Families Publication No. PEP25-08-008, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2026.

This Introductory Guide for Families highlights common experiences of family members who are navigating mental health and/or substance use treatment and recovery supports with their loved ones.

The Introductory Guide recognizes a range of family experiences across family member roles and how those experiences may shift across their life spans, taking a whole family approach. This Introductory Guide was developed with insights from more than sixty family representatives who met in February 2025. The family members represented a range of family-led organizations and family roles. The Introductory Guide is designed to support wellness, resilience, and recovery for everyone in the family. It highlights the value of engaging with family peer support, family-led organizations, and broader peer support resources.

Publication ID

PEP25-08-008

Publication Date

June 2026