IMAP News February 2026
Insulators Member Assistance Program Update
Rich’s Rants
Each month, the LMCT IMAP Newsletter will feature the “rants” of Youturn Health Chief Clinical Officer Rich Jones.
Check out this short video as Rich, who is recognized nationally as a subject matter expert on substance use disorder (SUD) and healthcare and recovery integration, introduces viewers to concepts and ideas that can help you make it through the day after dealing with stress and everyday issues.
Coping with Depression and Grief on Valentine’s Day
When you remove the corporate and social pressures of Valentine’s Day, the core idea is lovely: It’s a day to celebrate the romantic and/or platonic love in your life. But if you’re struggling with feelings of depression or grief on Valentine’s Day, that core idea may be extremely painful.
Your feelings may not even be directly related to Valentine’s Day – maybe you feel lost and alone after a relationship ended, maybe you’re grieving the loss of a partner – and the increased focus on love and relationships makes you feel alienated and sad. While Valentine’s Day isn’t as big as other holidays, it doesn’t make your pain any less real. The good news is there are some excellent self-management techniques that can help you cope and focus on overall happiness.
February Focus: Caregiver and Family Support
Caregivers Need the Most Support
According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, “Higher levels of stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health effects are common among family members who care for an older relative or friend.” That is the truth! While caregiving can give us a sense of self-worth, empathy, and belonging, it can also rob us of sleep, emotional well-being, time, and resources.
Communicating with Family About Mental Health: How to Offer Support
When one family member struggles with a mental health-related challenge, the whole family is impacted. The good news is that family can provide significant support when a loved one is struggling.
There isn’t one sign that will indicate someone you love is struggling with their mental health. What you do know about your family member is their baseline behavior: How do they normally act? How do they normally look in terms of appearance? What do they normally talk about? While a shift in these baseline behaviors may not mean your loved one is definitely struggling with a mental health-related challenge, it is a good opportunity to check in on them.
Supporting the Family Members of Someone Struggling with Addiction
Substance abuse is a chronic disease that has a deep impact on the whole family. The family is a system; changing one part of a system influences all other parts of the system. When one family member struggles with addiction, the whole family bears the full burden. We mostly focus on the person struggling with substance misuse, but their family members need support too. Here’s how to recognize common signs that someone may have a family member fighting addiction and how to approach them to help.
Loving Someone with Addiction
It is such a helpless feeling as a parent to watch as your child, no matter what age they are, destroys their bodies and their lives.
For the past 22 years, I’ve sought to find answers and help. My grief over the life path that this beautiful soul (the youngest of three sons) was and is traveling has pushed me to continue on a quest to learn as much as I can about addiction and treatment options. I have studied multiple pathways, and in so doing, I’ve discovered that they can all be successful for some. There is not “one right way to get sober”.
Infographic: Resources for Families of People Struggling with Substance Misuse
The staggering impact of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) on families:
- Loved ones of people struggling with addiction are five times more likely to use emergency services
- Children of a parent with SUD are 50% more likely to be arrested as juveniles
- 36% of spouses of someone with SUD suffer moderate depression and anxiety
IMAP Wallet Card
A Mom’s Worst Nightmare, Part 1
Listen as Lisa Larson, a mom, painfully recounts her final days before her son passed away from an overdose. Learn what she had to go through, what could have been done differently and the major overhaul needed within the addiction/treatment sector.
A Mom’s Worst Nightmare, Part 2
This is the continuing story of Lisa Larson’s devastating loss of her son due to an overdose. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that our system for treating substance use disorder is in need of a major overhaul. From the prescribing doctor to the emergency room (stigma) to the rehabs (body brokering) and especially for the lack of pertinent education and support for the families. This has been our mission all along, supporting and educating the families.
Loving Your Children Through the Worst of Times…A Father’s Perspective
Curtis Bartell shares his story about his journey with his son from heroin addiction to prison. The theme throughout his story is one of love. He says being present and non-judgmental has allowed for a strong father-son bond to continue even through the darkest of situations. This podcast is a lesson on how to support your child without supporting their lifestyle.
Tough Love – Harmful or Helpful?
Listen to this critical conversation with Edwin McCain and Rich Jones as they tackle the controversial topic of tough love. So many parents and loved ones of someone struggling grapple with the notion of cutting them off or holding them close. What would you do?