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MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY PROCESS

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
 

DEPENDENT/
UNAWARE

DEPENDENT/
AWARE

INDEPENDENT/
AWARE

INTERDEPENDENT/
AWARE

CONSUMER’S STATUS

 May be isolated and/or separated from community;

Unaware of community resources and their benefits;

Lacks motivation to seek community involvement;

Does not trust community;

Afraid of social situations;

May not recognize opportunities to become involved in community activities.

Begins to recognize opportunities for community involvement;

Aware of community resources & how they may be helpful to recovery;

Sets personal goals regarding involvement in community activities;

Goals are still mainly shaped by external ideals rather than consumer preference;

Needs a lot of encouragement;

May not actively participate in community activities;

May not obtain access to resources.

 Actively seeks community involvement;

Begins to develop relationships with people in community organizations;

Begins to obtain & use resources appropriately;

Shapes goals based upon his/her preferences and ideals rather than on external ideals;

Relies less on clinician and/or family/significant other to initiate involvement or obtain resources.

Maintains community involvement and relationships;

Serves as a role model for other consumers;

Encourages other consumers to get involved in activities;

Works with other community leaders to develop new activities & resources.

CLINICIANS’ ROLES

 Assumes role of motivator and educator;

Helps consumer become hopeful with regard to community reintegration;

Uses community to learn about consumer when he/she was healthy;

Uses knowledge about consumer to assist in personal growth and community reintegration;

Explores with consumer opportunities for personal growth and community involvement;

Educates consumer, family and/or support system about community resources;

Assists consumer with relearning social skills;

Educates community about mental health issues and consumer rights;

Supports & respects consumer participation social, cultural & spiritual community activities.

 Motivates & educates;

Instills hope about consumer’s community reintegration;

Continues to use community to learn about consumer;

Uses knowledge to help consumer set goals & move towards community reintegration;

Continues to educate consumer, family/significant others about community resources;

Continues to educate about mental health issues & consumer rights;

Acts as consultant to consumer regarding choices about community activities & use of community resources.

 Expand roles as consultant;

Lessens role as educator/motivator;

Continues to educate community about mental health issues and consumer rights;

Assists consumer in any way possible to achieve his/her self-determined community involvement goals;

Avoids creating programs for consumer that shape goals according to external ideals;

Emphasizes consumer preference;

Continues to instill hope and support consumer in community reintegration;

Avoids creating programs that do not reflect consumer choices.

 Maintains role as consultant to consumer;

Maintains awareness of community opportunities;

Continues to educate community about mental health issues and consumer rights;

Continues to reinforce a sense of hope in the consumer;

Celebrates consumer’s achievements;

Supports consumer in community reintegration.

COMMUNITY SUPPORTS’ ROLES

 

 

 Provides opportunities for consumers to participate in community activities;

Identifies consumers’ needs and develops and/or provides opportunities for them to obtain local resources for support (e.g., work experience);

Includes consumers, consumer groups in local events (e.g. parades, festivals, political debates, educational events);

Provides meeting places & advertising for consumer events;

Makes hangout places available (i.e. fast food restaurants) to meet friends and provide for possible employment opportunities.

 Provides opportunities for consumer to participate in community activities & expand opportunities (e.g., art shows, concerts, street fairs, lectures);

Develops local resources based upon community needs;

Expands access to resources (e.g., work experiences, leadership training, education);

Continues to include consumer & consumer groups in local events;

Expands outreach to consumers and consumer groups.

 Recognizes the value of involving consumers in community activities;

Expands role of consumers in community organizations.

Trusts consumer;

Relies on consumer for participation in community events.

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MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY PROCESS BEST PRACTICES

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
 

DEPENDENT/
UNAWARE

DEPENDENT/
AWARE

INDEPENDENT/
AWARE

INTERDEPENDENT/
AWARE

CONSUMER’S

BEST PRACTICES

 Asks clinician, family/ significant others, and peer/friends about community resources and how to use them to assist in recovery;

Begins to look for resources other than from treatment provider;

Learns how to use community resources (e.g., local library).

 Discusses opportunities for community involvement;

Asks for brochures, phone numbers, contact people;

Begins to call/contact community organizations as suggested by clinician, family, etc.;

Develops goals with assistance from clinician that focus on community reintegration;

Writes goals;

Measures progress made towards community reintegration.

 Attends community activities regularly by him/herself;

Obtains & uses community resources when appropriate;

Continues to progress toward community reintegration goals;

Maintains contact with people in community;

Seeks new opportunities/ resources on his/her own without urging from clinician/family;

Seeks ways to grow in responsibility & ways to contribute back to community.

 Plans & executes events with other community leaders (e.g. food drive, art show, mentoring program);

Establishes his/her daily schedule to include living, working, recreating;

Uses clinician/family as resource;

Monitors his/her progress/involvement & adjusts goals as needed;

Maintains contact with people in community;

Speaks to others about his/her community experience;

Develops and/or participates in community programs for other consumers.

CLINICIANS’ BEST PRACTICES

 Maintains hopeful attitude and encourages community reintegration;

Introduces consumer to others who are involved in community;

Talks to consumer’s family and friends to learn about activities that he/she enjoyed when healthy & uses the information learned to help them select opportunities for community involvement;

Educates himself/herself about community resources & activities;

Provides consumer with brochures, phone numbers, contact persons;

Speaks about mental health issues at community events & to media;

Reviews current research findings to keep up-to-date with community programs;

Introduces consumer to librarian;

Obtains information from Internet.

 Supports consumer’s community involvement by attending community activities with consumer;

Celebrates with consumer when goals are achieved (e.g., dinner certificates);

Sets up visits to community organizations & possible employment sites;

Provides transportation & introduces consumer to contact people within community;

Assists consumer in developing a list of employment preferences & leisure activities;

Assists consumer in developing goals that are shaped by internal versus external ideals; educates about community resources & activities;

Speaks about mental health issues at community events & to media;

May involve consumer in groups focused on transitioning back to community issues.

 Continues to celebrate with consumer when goals are achieved;

Continues to assure consumer’s involvement in community by setting up appointments at organizations & introducing to contact people;

Reviews with consumer list of preferred employment & activity choices;

Teaches consumer to use supports to avoid crises;

Educates consumer about community issues (e.g., drugs, HIV) & how to avoid victimization;

Educates about community resources & activities;

Speaks about mental health issues at community events & to media.

 Is available to refer or advise consumer’s family/significant others regarding community involvement on an as-needed basis.

COMMUNITY SUPPORTS’
BEST PRACTICES 

 Community mental health centers develop & maintain contact with other community organizations & share information about resources & local events with consumers & their family/significant others;

Community organizations place consumers/ consumer groups on their mailing lists & invite to participate in local events;

Supporters contact community mental health organizations in order to educate themselves about mental illness & recovery;

Community organizations survey consumers to gain information about how to best include them in community activities;

Community provides Drop In Centers;

Community makes peer support groups available.

 Assists consumer in identifying transportation options;

Makes transportation available for consumer to attend scheduled events;

Provides consumer with names & phone numbers of contact people;

Offers opportunities for volunteer work in libraries, churches, hospitals, etc.

 Selects consumer to be on Boards & to fulfill leadership roles within community organizations. Continues to maintain and support consumers, families, significant others and the mental health community about community activities and events and alternative anti-stigma activities.

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