Free mental health guidance helping families in pandemic

To help families thrive through this pandemic — especially those with children struggling with their mental health — a unique partnership was created.

The focus was to get mental health resources to families that are in need in the midst of a pandemic that’s not as easy as it once was.

The National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) turned to Allen Interactions to help provide their services in the comfort of their home.

"It endeavors," said Dr. Michael Allen, CEO of Allen Interactions. "Even though it’s digital technology, it endeavors to make people feel really comfortable."

Allen and his team provide the tech side of the partnership, and NAMI provides the gold-standard mental health guidance it’s known for.

The new virtual, six-course program is free and is called Nami Basics On-Demand for parents, caregivers, and families that care for children who are struggling with mental health.

The program and NAMI can also help people connect with others who are going through similar struggles. By allowing the help to go virtual, Allen says it’s a big benefit for those who need this kind of help but live in rural areas where access isn’t as easy.

"This is a very safe and comforting place where you can get expert help — the best help in the country, actually — [and] you can get those resources that you need," Allen said.