Psychiatric Rehabilitation: Carrying Us Through in Times of Change

While there are many recovery oriented practices and processes, none specifically address supporting change more succinctly than that of advocacy. PRA’s Recovery Workforce Summit: 2014 Annual Conference offered a Thought Leaders plenary session entitled, “Everything Old is New Again: How the Foundation of Psychiatric Rehabilitation is Carrying Us Through in Times of Change.”  Perhaps the word advocacy presents definitional attention. Advocacy pertains to any action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a cause, supports or defends, or pleads on behalf of others (Alliance for Justice, 2012). Advocacy is a practical skill for bringing about social inclusion and needed changes in policies, programs, and practices (Nemec & Furlong(ed,), 2014).

The Thought Leaders plenary assembled a team of experts who illustrated, defined, and quantified the behaviors for advocacy in psychiatric rehabilitation programming. William Boyer, Section Chief for Program Development in the Bureau of Policy, Planning, and Program Development for Pennsylvania-OMHSAS, enthralled the audience with information from the state and federal perspective offering steps for achieving psychiatric rehabilitation as a supplemental program within policy and program development. Jodi Smith, Owner of Family Support Services of North Idaho, LLC, equipped program owners and services in the audience with a step-by-step demonstration of what it takes to advocate within managed care and auxiliary programs that have an impact on a psychiatric rehabilitation service. To round out the team, Steve LaMaster, Director of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Vinfen Corporation of Massachusetts, impressed upon the audience the importance of a dedicated chapter within PRA to pursue the needs and the voice of persons served in order to effect change.

While the need for attention to advocacy is nowhere near complete, an organization cannot be deemed successful without a culture that embraces the following characteristics: transparency, long-term reputation preservation, financial stability and strength, corporate integrity, and increased sustainability (Personal communication, 2014). The importance and attention to the aforementioned list is courtesy of the anecdotes and information shared from the engaging plenary panelists which kept the attention of the audience throughout the early morning session. If you speak to other thought leaders, across various behavioral health silos and disciplines, attention to the importance of advocacy prevails. The work behind the scenes is so important.

It was a pleasure to moderate this plenary session, encouraging the panel to shine the spotlight on shifts in history, plans for the future, challenges to success, and to most importantly, share lessons learned. Each panelist agreed this is a wonderful way to function: “If I didn’t believe it with my own mind, I never would have seen it.” (Author Unknown, nd). Do not be afraid to be a visionary; this is a great opportunity to say, “I told you so.”  

The most definitive demonstration of this Thought Leaders plenary session is that it takes a village comprised of state, agency, and chapter to effect change. The ultimate intention of the plenary was to apprise the audience of approximately 120 members that you too can advocate, instilling the paths illustrated by the panel and supporting the goals of the psychiatric rehabilitation community.  

Just watch the alliance for justice (2012). http://www.afj.org/2012/12

Nemec, P. & Furlong-Norman, K. (Eds.).(2014). Best practices of psychiatric rehabilitation (2^nd ed.). Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association.

 Read more about Dr. Veronica Carey.