News & Discussion

Year of Recovery Initiative

The Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties Adult Mental Health Services Program (AMHS) has designated 2012 as the “Year of Recovery!”

Mental Health treatment has made great strides over the past 50 years. Fifty years ago, the word “recovery” was not used for individuals who suffered with a diagnosis of mental illness. Today the word “Recovery” is use frequently but is still not yet fully understood. The Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has defined the word “Recovery” as a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential. The major dimensions that support one’s recovery include:

Health: overcoming or managing one’s disease(s), as well as living in a physically and emotionally healthy way; Home: having a stable and safe place to live; Purpose: enjoying meaningful daily activities, such as a job, school, volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative endeavors, and the independence, income and resources to participate in society; and Community: nurturing relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.

Recovery initiatives have continued to be at the forefront at Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) during 2011. During 2010, the Recovery Enhancing Environment (REE) survey was conducted and in 2011, AMHS used presentations on the REE results as a way to have a conversation with staff and consumers throughout AMHS. A team of an AMHS administrative staff and a Peer Support Specialist (PSS) presented the results of the REE and a recovery story of lived experience to each AMHS program, with both staff and consumers present. Ideas for ways of enhancing recovery at AMHS were generated and a workgroup of administrators, Peers, direct care staff as well as consumers have reviewed these results and are developing a strategic plan for ways to make improvements in six key areas: stigma, improving CMHA-CEI services, access to community resources (work, school and volunteer), substance abuse treatment, recovery enhancing initiatives, and medical/psychiatric issues. Additionally, AMHS has added a Recovery Specialist position to provide liaison and consultation for AMHS in regards to recovery initiatives for persons with mental illness and substance use disorders. Duties for this position include a variety AMHS program level tasks such as serving as lead with recovery initiatives, grant writing and monitoring, and provision of day to day support for Peer Support staff within AMHS.

If you have questions about this program, please feel free to contact Mark Phillips at (517) 346-8268.

Recovery Resources

 Download Basic Points Defining Recovery

For more information on recovery, click here to be directed to the SAMSHA blog