NAMI Ask the Expert: Facts, Myths and Misconceptions About Long-Acting Antipsychotic Medications

Course overview

This course, based on the Ask the Expert webinar series by NAMI, examines the clinical rationale, benefits, risks, and practical considerations of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics for maintenance treatment and relapse prevention in schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. Faculty review high-quality research on adherence, hospitalization, and side-effect profiles while addressing common myths and barriers to utilization. A lived-experience conversation with a veteran and his caregiver adds practical, family-centered strategies for education, shared decision-making, and stigma reduction. The program emphasizes interprofessional collaboration and early, recovery-oriented care that aligns with current guidelines and meta-analytic evidence. The course, with an intended audience of social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and counselors, then presents current research with person- and family-centered perspectives to support ethical, shared decisions about LAIs across assessment, psychoeducation, care planning, and coordination within interdisciplinary teams.