Years ago, when Greta Kjos’ daughter was deep in a mental health crisis, Kjos knew she needed help in the form of support from other parents and professionals who understood childhood mental illness and how to navigate the systems that could help her daughter recover. 

But the problem was it felt nearly impossible to leave the house. 

“I have a daughter who has had significant mental illness,” Kjos said. “I’ve been through the wringer. It can be really hard to take even a half day and go somewhere, even if it is a place filled with people who can help you.” 

During the most intense part of her daughter’s mental health crisis, Kjos felt homebound. 

“I needed to be with her all the time,” she said. “I couldn’t leave her alone even for a day.” 

For Kjos, now director of children’s programs at NAMI Minnesota, this need to stay by her daughter’s side meant it was harder to build the connections that today feed her work and activism. When she finally learned about NAMI Minnesota and the range of programs the nonprofit offers for parents of children with mental illness, Kjos eventually made her way to a support group.  

“It took me a long time to get there,” she said of the group. “Once I finally went, I cried because I didn’t have to explain myself or my daughter. There was no judgement. These people knew what was going on. These are veteran parents of this kind of situation so you’re not alone. Other people get it.  It was an amazing experience.” 

Kjos understands her early experience wasn’t unique. She’s now met many parents of children with serious mental illness who have struggled to build connections because caring for their children demanded so much of their time. That reality is why this year organizers decided to hold Super Saturday, NAMI’s annual conference for parents and caregivers, completely online. This year’s free conference, named “Super Saturday: Family Roadtrip to Mental Health,” featuring educational sessions, a mock support group and a resource fair, will be held Feb. 8 from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

In the past, Super Saturday conferences have been held in-person. For two years during the pandemic, the event was moved online, but in 2024 it went back to the original face-to-face format. Participants, specifically parents, told organizers that they appreciated the convenience of a virtual conference, so this year it was shifted back online. 

Kjos understands where parents are coming from. It took a long time after her daughter’s first mental health crisis for her to feel ready to venture out into the world. If there had been remote support options at the time, she would’ve been all over them. 

“The bar was too high for me to go somewhere in person,” Kjos said. 

Beyond the need to be at her daughter’s side at all times, she also felt a sense of discrimination and stigma around mental illness, so at first she wanted to keep her head down: “It was easier for me to enter into this whole space a little more anonymously. Not everybody’s ready to do the in-person thing right away.”

 And there are the more mundane barriers that get in the way of in-person events, Kjos added. 

“There are all kinds of issues with transportation and schedules. We are doing much more online these days based on feedback we’re getting from parents. It turns out it is much easier for them to meet this way.” 

Designed for parents and professionals

The Super Saturday event is designed for parents, caregivers and professionals who work with young people, explained Kabao Yang, NAMI Minnesota multicultural program coordinator. 

“We’ve always had a solid mix of participants,” she said. 

In another nod to participant preferences, the conference was shifted from a full day of events to a half day, she added: “We know Saturdays are valuable for folks. We want to make (sure) this is something that can work for them.”

This year’s shifts to a virtual, half-day conference have been popular, Yang said. 

“Typically we get about 100 registrants,” according to Yang. “This year, with more robust marketing and earlier planning, we’ve (had) more than 200 registrants at this point. We’re very excited.” 

Participants can sign up for a range of classes, including a session on mental health crisis planning that will talk about ways parents and caregivers can prepare to safely react to and care for a young person experiencing acute mental illness. 

A class like this is important, Kjos said, because it is hard to think straight when you are in the midst of a mental health crisis. 

“You don’t want to be figuring out how to help your kid when things are so disturbing,” said Kjos. “You want to be able to have this figured out ahead of time.” 

There are also two classes offered for professionals, both offering continuing education credits. One is called “Families as Partners.” 

“This teaches professionals how to help families get what they need to help their children with mental illness,” Kjos said. 

In addition to the classes, Super Saturday also offers a legislative-advocacy session. One of NAMI Minnesota’s goals is to influence legislation at the state capitol that supports the needs of people with mental illness. The session emphasizes the importance of parents and other advocates speaking out on their loved ones’ behalf. NAMI’s legislative advocate will talk about ways that families can help make changes in the legislative process. 

“Families will learn about how they can bring their story to help make legislative change,” Kjos said. 

Another important conference offering is a mock support group. Designed for individuals who, like Kjos, felt unsure about talking to others about their experience with mental illness, the group will give participants a taste of what a support group looks and feels like. It’s an easy, commitment-free way to try it out. 

This year, in an effort to be more inclusive, conference organizers are offering two classes in Spanish. One is on special education services. 

“That can be difficult to figure out,” Yang said. “If your child needs services in their school, there are so many different terms to understand, like an IEP or a 504. This class is designed to help parents understand those terms.” 

Yang said she has long wanted to create more robust offerings for Spanish-speaking participants. She and her colleagues asked Spanish-speaking parents what subjects most interested them and then tried to develop classes in those categories. One thing they learned was that most parents preferred the virtual option. 

“Having this conference virtual is going to be the most accessible for Spanish-speaking folks,” Yang said.   

There will be a virtual resource fair of NAMI Minnesota’s offerings for parents and caregivers. Participants will have a chance to learn about all of the groups sponsored by the nonprofit and what they have to offer, Kjos said. Instead of the separate booths featured at the in-person fairs of the past, individual groups will have their own breakout rooms, where conference participants can join and talk to organizers and other participants. It’s a way for people to meet each other and learn about opportunities for support and renewal.

“We really wanted to create those opportunities that are really intentional but less structured,” Yang said. “We wanted to create an opportunity to get our heads together and talk.” 

Out from under

In the depths of her daughter’s first mental health crisis, Kjos felt like she’d never find her way out. 

“In the beginning it is really hard,” she said. “You try to fix things and all of the sudden there’s another crisis.” 

At one point, her daughter began talking about suicide. 

“I had no idea what to do,” Kjos said. She had never heard of NAMI, so instead, she recalled, “I fumbled. I called my pediatrician. I struggled to find her a therapist. I felt urgency but I didn’t know what to do. Do I take her to the ER? It’s terrifying.” 

Eventually, Kjos’ daughter was hospitalized. Even after that, Kjos said it was four or five months before a therapist asked if she’d ever heard of NAMI. Kjos hadn’t, but she soon got involved. 

“Had I known about NAMI ahead of time, I would have talked to a peer specialist who would’ve walked me through what to do,” she said.

Determined not to be knocked to the ground the next time her daughter was in crisis, Kjos signed up for mental health crisis-planning classes. She also learned about NAMI’s Parent Warmline, a free phone resource open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. where parents can call and talk to other parents who’ve cared for children with mental illness. 

“It’s staffed by parents who have been through it,” Kjos said. “They’ll spend an hour or more on a call with a parent who is in first-time crisis. They are an amazing resource.” 

This year, the keynote speaker is Addyson Moore, a member of NAMI Minnesota’s “Ending the Silence” high school outreach program. Moore, who has been hospitalized more than 30 times for mental illness, will tell conference attendees about her own journey to recovery. 

“She faced a lot of barriers with mental illness,” Yang said. “She is inspiring to parents and caregivers. It can be powerful to see and hear from her that it can and does get better.” 

Conference organizers say they want participants to leave the event on an up note, building key connections that will help them navigate the journey of supporting a young person with mental illness. 

“The hope is that folks will be feeling hopeful by the end of the day,” Yang said. “And that they have the energy that they need to channel somewhere positive.”

In other upcoming events, NAMI Ramsey County is sponsoring a screening of the documentary, “Into the Light: Meaningful Recovery from Psychosis.” The hour-long film discusses ways to achieve meaningful recovery from serious mental illness through education, medication and connection-building and features interviews with patients, parents, medical advocates and health care professionals. The event is free and will take place at 6 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Harding High School, 1540 16^th St., E. St. Paul.

Andy Steiner

Andy Steiner is a Twin Cities-based writer and editor. Before becoming a full-time freelancer, she worked as senior editor at Utne Reader and editor of the Minnesota Women’s Press. Email her at [email protected].

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