The more proactive we are, the less likely that the dysfunction in the system becomes so entrenched and that we lose the whole family system, that the family falls apart.
The biggest thing about whether the family can continue functioning is whether they are able to adapt and adjust. How they are able to adapt and adjust is completely related to what resources are available to them, not just internal but external.
Not every family's need for resources is going to be the same. I think that's where we need to allow them to identify what they need: Is it that they need a caseworker to help them fill out these forms so they can get the proper diagnosis and access for the partner to receive support? Is it that they need somebody to come and give respite so that the children and the mom can go away, or that the children and the dad can go away for a few days and get some alone time to build on their relationship, rather than always being in that crisis management with someone who is in crisis, especially with a mental illness?