Laurie Curtis

This article offers one theoretical perspective of peer support and attempts to define the elements that, when reinforced through education and training, provide a new cultural context for healing and recovery. Persons labeled with psychiatric disability have become victims of social and cultural ostracism and consequently have developed a sense of self that reinforces the "patient" identity. Enabling members of peer support to understand the nature and impact of these cultural forces leads individuals and peer communities toward a capacity for personal, relational, and social change. It is our hope that consumers from all different types of programs (e.g. drop-in, social clubs, advocacy, support, outreach, respite), traditional providers, and policy makers will find this article helpful in stimulating dialogue about the role of peer programs in the development of a recovery based system.

The concept of recovery has emerged as a significant paradigm in the field of public mental health services. This paper outlines how the concept is being implemented in the policies and practices of mental health systems in the United States. After a brief overview of the historical background of recovery and a description of the common themes that have emerged across the range of its definitions, the paper describes the specific currently strategies used by the states to implement recovery principles. The authors conclude by raising key questions about the implications of adopting recovery as system policy.

The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate the outcomes of two statewide initiatives in Vermont and Minnesota, in which self-management of mental illness was taught by peers to people in mental health recovery using Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP).Pre-post comparisons were made of reports from 381 participants (147 in Vermont and 234 in Minnesota) on a survey instrument that assessed three dimensions of self-management: 1) attitudes, such as hope for recovery and responsibility for one's own wellness; 2) knowledge, regarding topics such as early warning signs of decompensation and symptom triggers; and 3) skills, such as identification of a social support network and use of wellness tools.Significant positive changes in self-management attitudes, skills and behaviors were observed on 76% of items completed by Vermont participants (13 of 17 survey items), and 85% of items completed by Minnesota participants (11 of 13 items). In both states, participants reported significant increases in: 1) their hopefulness for their own recovery; 2) awareness of their own early warning signs of decompensation; 3) use of wellness tools in their daily routine; 4) awareness of their own symptom triggers; 5) having a crisis plan in place; 6) having a plan for dealing with symptoms; 7) having a social support system; and 8) ability to take responsibility for their own wellness.Given the rapid growth of this intervention in the U.S. and internationally, these results contribute to the evidence base for peer-led services, and suggest that more rigorous investigations are warranted in the future.

This article reviews the literature on shared decision making in health and mental health and discusses tools in general health that are proposed for adaptation and use in mental health.To offer findings from literature and a product development process to help inform/guide those who wish to create or implement materials for shared decision making in mental health.Published literature and research on issues related to shared decision making in health and mental health, focus groups, and product testing.Structured shared decision making in mental health shows promise in supporting service user involvement in critical decision making and provides a process to open all treatment and service decisions to informed and respectful dialogue.

An expanding body of evidence based on cognitive neuroscience provides music teachers with information about the interaction of music instruction and brain development. This information is foundational for those interested in the biology of teaching in addition to the curriculum taught. Pedagogy can be grounded in research-based insights on how the brain learns and responds to experiences in the music classroom. This article offers a brief literature review about some elements of cognitive neuroscience that can inform pedagogical decisions; these include brain plasticity, multisensory instruction, executive functions, and memory. Also included are practical implications of the research and a discussion of partnerships within schools to best meet the needs of diverse learners.

Supported housing, preferred by consumers and demonstrated as effective for individuals with psychiatric disabilities, has taken four approaches: residential services, intensive case management, hybrid, and homeless outreach. Evaluating the choices for local settings requires confronting issues of flexibility and responsibility.

Abstract Rapidly changing patterns of service principles and practices in community mental health services raise new dilemmas in service ethics and relationship boundaries for which staff have little guidance for decision making.

The College of Education (COE) at Kansas State University and its Professional Development Schools (PDS) are partnering in innovative ways that demonstrate a commitment to work collaboratively to solve educational issues involving preservice teachers, practicing teachers, and faculty members, as well as K-12 students and their families.

Introduction Promoting client empowerment in mental health service and treatment is linked with positive outcomes and is considered an indicator of quality recovery-oriented services. However, most public mental health services do not yet fully implement this goal. Aims Recognizing that shared decision-making (SDM) technologies have the potential to encourage more effective communication and collaboration, SAMHSA and Advocates for Human Potential are developing SDM resources for public mental health services and the people they serve. Objectives We report on field tests of one resource, a decision aid (DA) for consumers considering use of antipsychotic medication. Methods After conducting a literature review and analysis of decision support materials, we performed consumer and provider needs assessments to guide DA development. We constructed a 7-module Webbased consumer-centered DA that follows IPDAS standards. We tested the prototype with groups of consumers and providers available to the team. Results Responses to the DA have been mixed. Some providers are concerned about “sharing” treatment decisions with clients and feel there is too much information in the DA. Some consumers want more information yet feel the DA is too long. Both groups express enthusiasm about the use of a DA for antipsychotic medication. Conclusions Adapting SDM concepts and tools to public mental health settings has unique challenges. Traditional assumptions about competency of people with mental health diagnoses have resulted in a history of provider-dominated decision-making. While DAs are designed to help balance power in the clinical encounter, we recognize that there are more obstacles to overcome.