Recovery offers a simple, yet powerful vision – people with psychiatric disabilities can and do recover.   

The ADAMH Board is dedicated to incorporating the concept of recovery and the Recovery Model into the five-county mental health system.  Achieving this goal will require a fundamental change in people’s understanding of the delivery of mental health care.  Recovery can be defined as a personal process of overcoming the negative impact of a psychiatric disability, despite its continued presence.  It is important to emphasize that recovery moves people forward, not back, and that the recovery process is less about returning to one’s former self than about discovering who one can become.  Recovery is not linear.  One may go back and forth between various stages of independence and hope, and periods of dependency.
Typically, one thinks of the ability to work, to reside in housing of one’s choice and to have friends as key indicators of recovery.  However, these external factors by themselves are not sufficient aspects of recovery.  Internal factors such as a sense of well-being and increased hope and self-esteem are also important components of recovery. 

The following guiding principles form the basis for the development of The Recovery Process Model and Emerging Best Practices.

Principle 1
The consumer directs the recovery process; therefore, consumer input is essential throughout the process.

Principle 2
The mental health system must be aware of its tendency to enable and encourage consumer dependency.

Principle 3
Consumers are able to recover more quickly when their:

• Life roles with respect to work and meaningful activities are defined
• Hope is encouraged, enhances, and/or maintained
• Spirituality is considered
• Culture is understood
• Educational needs as well as those of their family/significant others are identified
• Socialization needs are identified

* From Townsend, W. and Hicks, P. (1999) Emerging Best Practices in Mental   Health Recovery.  Columbus, OH: Ohio Department of Mental Health.

Principle 4
Individual differences are considered and valued across their life span.

Principle 5
Recovery from mental illness is most effective when a holistic approach is considered.

Principle 6
In order to reflect current “best practices,” there is a need to merge all intervention models, including Medical, Psychological, Social, and Recovery.

Principle 7
Clinician’s initial emphasis on “hope” and the ability to develop trusting relationships influences the consumer’s recovery.

Principle 8
Clinicians operate from a strengths/assets model.

Principle 9
Clinicians and consumers collaboratively develop a recovery management plan.  This plan focuses on the interventions that will facilitate recovery and the resources that will support the recovery process.

Principle 10
Family involvement may enhance the recovery process.  The consumer defines his/her family unit.

Principle 11
Mental Health services are most effective when delivery is within the context of the consumer’s community.

Principle 12
Community involvement as defined by the consumer is important to the recovery process.In the ADAMH Board’s continuum of care from outpatient to residential services, we strive to promote the nine essential components of recovery:*

1. Clinical Care:  mental health services which promote and enhance the recovery process;
   
2. Family Support:  with family as defined by each patient/consumer, to enhance recovery;
   
3. Peer Support and Relationships: to grow with those around who care and understand;
   
4. Work and Meaningful Activities: to provide both economic and self-esteem benefits;
   
5. Power and Control: personal decision-making to enhance recovery;
   
6. Destigmatization: to decrease the negative stereotypes associated with mental illness;
   
7. Community Involvement: to enhance social integration and affiliation;
   
8. Access to Resources: increase ability to use products and services to promote recovery;
   
9. Education: use of formal and informal education to promote growth and change.

In this personal mental health recovery process, the recovery-centered patient/consumer:

• Develops and achieves specific recovery goals
  
• Designs and actively participates in a personal recovery plan which includes treatment and relapse prevention strategies
  
• Takes increasing responsibility for actions and interactions
  
• Accept illness and moves beyond illness as self-identity
  
• Invites family or significant others into the recovery process, seeks education about one’s diagnosis, medications, symptoms, and treatment
  
• Values work or meaningful activity, and strives toward vocational goals
  
• Becomes involved in peer advocacy or peer support activity
  
• Shows respect for others, including cultural differences
  
• Maximizes abilities to manage safe housing and appropriate finances as able
  
• Finds purpose in life in areas greater than self