Family perspectives of healthcare for relatives living with a mental illness.

Purpose: This study explored how parents, partners or spouses, siblings, and adult children, who had a relative living with a mental illness, experienced interactions with mental healthcare providers and staff.

Design And Methods: A descriptive qualitative research process guided interviews with 20 family members about their experiences with the mental healthcare system.

Findings: Analysis yielded similar and different themes of experience for each family role. Although navigating the mental system presented challenges, positive experiences affirmed family members' contributions to caregiving.

Practice Implications: Involvement of family members contributes to inclusive care and promotes family satisfaction with care provided to their relative.