Ottawa, ON – The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) today issued the following statement regarding the launch of stakeholder consultations on the draft “Guidelines for Recovery Oriented Practice”:
“With today’s launch of regional stakeholder consultations on the draft Guidelines for Recovery Oriented Practice, we are taking yet another significant step in the implementation of Changing Directions, Changing Lives: the Mental Health Strategy for Canada, as well as in towards the development of a Mental Health Action Plan for Canada.
The Strategy, published in 2012, calls for the mental health system to “shift policies and practices toward recovery and well-being for people of all ages living with mental health problems and illnesses, and their families.” Accordingly, we embarked on the Recovery Initiative which included:
- the Recovery Declaration which makes a commitment to recovery and encouraging dialogue;
- the assembly of a Recovery Inventory, an online searchable repository of recovery oriented resources; and,
- the development of Recovery Guidelines for use by those involved in recovery practice and to serve as an additional online resource.
The current draft of these guidelines will be reviewed in the coming weeks by a variety of individual practitioners and groups whose primary focus is recovery, as well as people living with mental health problems and illnesses and their families. It is intended that these guidelines will:
- provide a conceptual framework to help transform culture and practice;
- identify principles, values, knowledge, skills and behaviour that underlie recovery-oriented services and supports;
- assist in implementing a recovery-orientation across the country at a policy, program and practice level;
- provide a benchmark against which to measure service alignment with evidence-informed recovery-oriented practices; and,
- continue the dialogue towards improvements in this practice area.
Following this period of consultation, the Guidelines will be published, later this spring, for use by:
- mental health professionals in a broad range of settings;
- staff and volunteers, who have contact with people accessing mental health and support services, their families and supporters;
- policy and decision makers;
- professionals in other service systems or sectors that contribute to mental health well-being; and,
- people accessing mental health services.
We look forward to the input that will be provided during the consultation phase of this initiative and to extending the resources available to those participating in this important practice area.”
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Additional information of the Recovery Initiative may be found online at: http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/issues/recovery
ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION OF CANADA
The Mental Health Commission of Canada is a catalyst for change. We are collaborating with hundreds of partners to change the attitudes of Canadians toward mental health problems and to improve services and support. Our goal is to help people who live with mental health problems and illnesses lead meaningful and productive lives. Together we create change. The Mental Health Commission of Canada is funded by Health Canada.
www.mentalhealthcommission.ca
Media Contact:
Glenn Johnson, Senior Media Relations Specialist
Mental Health Commission of Canada
Mobile: 1-613-683-3940
gjohnson@mentalhealthcommission.ca
