Family Help Update

Family Help

Family Help: Science Helping Families

Toll free numbers for Family Help.

In the effort to be accessible to everyone we have set up toll free numbers. Doctors, participants, families, and people inquiring about our program can use these numbers.

• Phone: 1-866-470-7111
• Fax: 1-866-470-7222

(Please note that these numbers are new as of February 2002.)

A "look" has also been established for the Family Help Program. This look will be easily recognised as Family Help. Our advertisements and the front cover of the manuals will sport our new look!

Launch of Family Help Program: A Success!

On November 22, 2001 we held the launch of the Family Help Program in Truro, Nova Scotia. Highlights of the launch were the showcase of our videos for Family Help, a demonstration of the initial development of the web-based system, and a preview of our manuals. Many distinguished guest speakers were also in attendance. Included in this list were:

Stephanie Atkinson
Member of Governing Council
Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Dave Purcell
Director Human Resource Centre Canada of
Northern Nova Scotia

Peter MacKinnon
Chief Executive Officer
District Health Authority #4
Colchester Regional Hospital

Richard Nurse
Chief Executive Officer
IWK Health Centre
Dr. Carl Breckenridge
Vice President Research
Dalhousie University

Linda Smith
Director, Youth & Health Services
Department of Health

Many thanks to all the people involved in this event. It was a great success, and many people are becoming more informed about our program. A special "thank you" goes to Speedy Print of Halifax; Glengarry Best Western, Truro; and Atlantic Superstore, Truro for their contributions.

Family Help Program Progress:

Telephone system:
The manuals and video-production continue into final stages of development. Many experts including psychologists, physicians, nurses, parents, educational consultants, and most importantly children where applicable have carefully reviewed these manuals and offered valuable suggestions.

Web-system: Wow…Great Progress!
For a limited time you will be able to access the site without a login name. * Please feel free to take a "sneak-peek" at:

Your feedback could make a difference for the learning experience of the parents and children who use our Family Help system in the future.
E-mail your comments to: patricia.pottie.nshealth.ca

AMA Marketing designed the Family Help web site. Special thanks go to Russell Scott, Janet Wilson, and Chris Sauver.

Pilot Studies:

Target date is: May 2002!

The purpose of the pilot study will be primarily to ensure that the physician referral system is easy to use, that the text and exercises in the manuals/web are manageable for parents and children, and that phone interactions with the coach are effective.

Our goal will be to have 10 children per problem module (Recurrent Head/Stomach Pain, Enuresis, Adolescent Depression, Disruptive Behaviour, ADHD, and Anxiety) referred for treatment in the pilot phase during May 2002.

We will be recruiting approximately 5-6 family physicians from each of the Nova Scotia District Health Authorities 4, 5, & 6 to collaborate with us for the pilot study phase. Once completed and revisions are finalized, we will launch our large-scale Family Help trials in Nov/Dec. 2002!

*Please contact Trish Pottie, Program Manager for more information at: 902-470-7934 or toll free at: 1-866-470-7111

CME, a component of Family Help

Dr. Cathy McLean, Director of Undergraduate Medical Education at Dalhousie University has been developing the CME component of Family Help. She is planning to hold information sessions at Family Medicine Rounds soon!

Please forward any information about the dates of Rounds being held in the near future (in Districts 4, 5, &6) to Patricia Pottie, Program Manager. We would like to share our information and discuss ideas with the local physicians how we can develop the CME component.

Who are the people involved in Family Help?

Our masthead gives you the names and affiliations of the major players but we will also feature certain individuals in each issue.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to the new members of the Family Help Team!

Blaise Dobbin, Web-site Project Manager, Amherst. Blaise is responsible for the day-to-day activities in the Amherst office.

Adri Boodoosingh, Web-Editor is responsible for modifying the text for the web-based system.

Krista Gerrits, Family Help Coach, Amherst will provide telephone support to the parents participating in the web-based treatment component.

Initially, our research funding (from the Human Resources Development Canada) is to webify the Disruptive Behaviour Module for parents only. However, with our on-going efforts to seek more funding, all modules will eventually be available via the web.

Previous issues of Family Help Update.

If you did not receive the past issue that gave the background for Family Help, you may call our office to have one sent to you.

Future issues of Family Help Update:

Family Help Update will be published approximately every 3 months. If you know of anyone who might want to receive a copy of Family Help Update, just let us know.
(patricia.pottie@iwk.nshealth.ca).