Wendy Wood, director of advocacy, Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers’ Association (PMHCA), and Andrea Kepler and Matthew Groff, Community Resource Team, reinforced the need for providers, consumers, and advocates to work together for the common goal of recovery for persons with mental illnesses during a presentation to the PCPA Mental Health Committee. Wood related several powerful stories that emphasize that business as usual and good intentions do not lead to successful outcomes. Instead, examining human interactions, listening to individuals and giving credence to their suggestions, including the individual in goal planning and decision-making, focusing on building trust between consumers of services and staff, and leadership are essential.
Kepler and Groff described the development and importance of the Community Support Plan (CSP) for recovery. The process can reinforce strengths and build confidence within the individual. They stressed the importance of maintaining a professional, adult relationship between staff and consumers of services. Often, familiarity brings comfort, but it can also alter the relationship so that it interferes with growth and development. The CSP is a resource for staff to learn what works for the individual. Representatives of PMHCA developed My Health Plan as a simplified form of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) for individuals who want to start planning, but are not ready for the more complex WRAP process. The My Health Plan template is available for anyone to use. Groff offered to serve as a resource for providers in the former Harrisburg State Hospital service plan area to help them with implementation of plans and with "Recovery Chats" with staff and consumers of services to help them to understand the realities of recovery and ways they might work together to achieve success. Please contact Betty Simmonds for more information.
