§ 41.42 Family support programs.

The commissioner of mental health, directly or through contract, and
within amounts made available therefor, shall establish a family support
program. The purpose of the program shall be to examine the impact of
the provision of educational and support services on the incidence of
hospitalization. Such services shall be provided to family members
caring for chronically, mentally ill relatives at home and shall include
but not be limited to ongoing psychoeducational training which will
enhance the family's ability to care for disabled relatives at home by
assisting them in understanding the nature and cause of the mental
illness and providing them with the knowledge of strategies for handling
the symptoms and behavior of disabled family members. The commissioner
may authorize the development of a training curriculum, and a staff
training program to implement this program and to design and carry out
an evaluation of this program.