Evidence-Based Practices:
Shaping Mental Health Services Toward Recovery
Tool Kits are currently in production. We expect delivery within a few weeks. Please download materials as needed.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and its Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) are pleased to introduce six Evidence-Based Practice Implementation Resource Kits to encourage the use of evidence-based practices in mental health. The Kits were developed as one of several SAMHSA/CMHS activities critical to its science-to-services strategy. We expect to identify additional practices for future Kits.
The Kits contain many useful resources, including:
- Information Sheets for all stakeholder groups
- Introductory videos
- Practice demonstration videos
- Workbook or manual for Practitioners
Each of the six Resource Kits is described below.
The Illness Management and Recovery program strongly emphasizes helping people to set and pursue personal goals and to implement action strategies in their everyday lives. The information and skills taught in the program include:
- Recovery strategies
- Practical facts about mental illness
- The Stress-Vulnerability Model and strategies for treatment
- Building social support
- Using medication effectively
- Reducing relapses and coping with stress
- Coping with problems and symptoms
- Getting needs met in the mental health system
The Medication Management Approaches in Psychiatry program focuses on using medication in a systematic and effective way, as part of the overall treatment for severe mental illness. The ultimate goal is to ensure that medications are prescribed in a way that supports a person’s recovery efforts. The program includes:
- Guidelines and steps for medication decision making, based on current Evidence and outcomes
- Systematic monitoring and record keeping of medications
- Consumer and family member Involvement
The goal of Assertive Community Treatment is to help people stay out of the hospital and to develop skills for living in the community, so that their mental illness is not the driving force in their lives. Assertive community treatment offers services that are customized to the individual needs of the consumer, delivered by a team of practitioners, and available 24 hours a day. The program addresses needs related to:
- Symptom management
- Housing
- Finances
- Employment
- Medical care
- Substance abuse
- Family life
- Activities of daily life
Family Psychoeducation involves a partnership among consumers, families and supporters, and practitioners. Through relationship building, education, collaboration, problem solving, and an atmosphere of hope and cooperation, family psychoeducation helps consumers and their families and supporters to:
- Learn about mental illness
- Master new ways of managing their mental illness
- Reduce tension and stress within the family
- Provide social support and encouragement to each other
- Focus on the future
- Find ways for families and supporters to help consumers in their recovery
Supported Employment is a well-defined approach to helping people with mental illnesses find and keep competitive employment within their communities. Supported employment programs are staffed by employment specialists who have frequent meetings with treatment providers to integrate supported employment with mental health services. The core principles of this program include:
- Eligibility based on consumer choices and preferences
- Supported employment as an integrated treatment
- Continuous follow-along supports
- Help with moving beyond the patient role and developing new employment-related Roles as part of the recovery process
Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment is for people who have co-occurring disorders,
mental illness and a substance abuse addiction. This treatment approach helps people recover by offering both mental health and substance abuse services at the same time and in one setting.
This approach includes:
- Individualized treatment, based on a person’s current stage of recovery
- Education about the illness
- Case management
- Help with housing
- Money management
- Relationships and social support
- Counseling designed especially for people with co-occurring disorders
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