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Philosophy of Recovery What
Is Recovery? Recovery is not just a set of expected outcomes. It is a "person first" philosophy that upholds the belief that treatment and services must value the dignity and individuality of each person and respect the person’s basic human needs for acceptance, love, hope and aspirations. Recovery means that people who live with serious mental illness over and above everything, have hope. With hope as the driving force, consumers:
The term "recovery" was coined by the consumer movement, which grew out of the civil-rights and disabilities movements in the 1960’s and 1970’s. The fundamental principle in the consumer movement was that people with mental illness should not be denied their basic human rights because of their disability. Older models of care, or as some consumers refer to it, the "medical model," focus primarily on controlling or eliminating symptoms of mental illness. The recovery philosophy acknowledges that a person is more than just a set of symptoms. A person has values, goals, and dreams. Treatment should not focus just on eliminating symptoms, but on helping a person regain their life purpose, reach their highest potential and live a meaningful and productive life in an environment that gives them the greatest amount of freedom while still providing support. The emergence of the recovery movement parallels the dramatic advances that have been made in treating people with serious mental illness. We now have better tools to provide treatment. New medications such as the a-typical neuroleptics and evidence-based interventions such as psychiatric rehabilitation, community support, self-help, and involvement in peer directed programs make it possible for people to create a life of meaning and purpose. Those who were once considered marginal can now live and participate in their communities. Symptom management is still an important element of the Recovery Model, but there are many important differences. Consumers are active participants in their treatment. They are included in forming their service plans, evaluating their own treatment outcomes and determining the efficacy of medication. At the same time, symptom management is coordinated with helping the person adapt to his or her community environment, set personal goals, and define their own role functioning. Mental Health services should help each consumer understand and cope with his mental illness; manage his symptoms; manage medications; recognize the signs of relapse; learn skills to potentially mediate the signs of relapse; and cope with the distress and victory of daily living. Recovery does not mean that a person with serious mental illness is "cured" of his or her symptoms. It means that a person can have a meaningful life despite their disability. Consumer-run programs are becoming an important feature of the recovery movement. Self-help groups, drop-in centers, club-houses, consumer warm lines provide a social network. Provider roles are also changing. In a recovery model, providers take on more of a partnership role, with the consumer leading and the provider facilitating. In addition to providing clinical services, the provider is willing to help the consumer develop many other areas of life. Adequate housing, setting and attaining vocational goals and developing social networks all enhance the quality of life. The provider needs to become a partner in helping the consumer achieve these goals. In a Recovery Model, providers must be willing to:
We are very excited about the implications of a Recovery Modeled system of care. Recovery can truly integrate our citizens with mental illness into community life. For more information about the philosophy and principles of Recovery go to the following links:
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Overview