Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

CMHS Consumer Affairs E-News
June 13, 2006, Vol. 06-65

Online Video
Partners in Recovery: Creating Successful Practitioner-Consumer Alliances

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma Associated With Mental Illness announces the availability of the "Partners in Recovery" video at http://promoteacceptance.samhsa.gov/action/partnersInRecovery.aspx.

This videotape was developed and supported by CMHS through a contract with the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association (now the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance). The video is intended to stimulate professionals to look carefully at their own perceptions, assumptions and behaviors, and to search for ways to improve their communication and relationships with mental health consumers.

In this 18-minute video, consumers and practitioners share stories about what worked and what did not work in building constructive relationships. Topics of discussion include recovery, hope and empowerment, information dissemination, consumers as experts, and family and peer support-concepts basic to every mental health professional in developing the therapeutic relationship. Also included with the video is an insert to provide self-evaluation and discussion questions and a list of mental health resources.

In order to access the streaming video, log onto http://promoteacceptance.samhsa.gov/action/partnersInRecovery.aspx. This product was developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in response to working group reports that identified specific needs of consumers and potential barriers to self-directed behavioral health care, as well as offered recommendations for transforming the delivery of behavioral health services. The working groups included mental health consumers and survivors, as well as mental health professionals.

We welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions: promoteacceptance@samhsa.hhs.gov

The SAMHSA ADS Center is a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services.

About the SAMHSA ADS Center
SAMHSA's Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma (ADS Center) helps people design, implement and operate programs that reduce discrimination and stigma associated with mental illnesses. With the most up-to-date research and information, the ADS Center helps individuals, organizations and governments counter such discrimination and stigma in the community, in the workplace, and in the media.
*************************************************
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list, please visit the Consumer Survivor page of the Center for Mental Health Services Web site at: http://samhsa.gov/consumersurvivor/

The Center for Mental Health Services is a component of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.