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An upcoming 12-week class aims to help family members better understand and relate to loved ones who deal with a mental illness.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness Douglas County’s Family-to-Family Education Program is free for participants. Its goal is to help family members understand and support their loved ones with mental illness while maintaining their own well-being, according to a news release from the organization.

The course is taught by trained volunteers Anne Owen, Robin Wood and Bill Wood, who is president of NAMI Douglas County. It will include information on illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, major depression and others, according to the release.

The class is slated for 3:30 to 6 p.m. on Sundays from Jan. 20 through April 7 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

The class size is limited, so preregistration by Jan. 2 is required. Call or email Bill Wood at 785-840-5889 or bdwood1956@gmail.com to sign up.

The program is included in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center.