New Freedom Commission Sees Recovery as the Goal for American Mental Health Care
"First, services and treatments must be consumer and family centered, geared to give consumers real and meaningful choices about treatment options and providers - not oriented to the requirements of bureaucracies. Second, care must focus on increasing consumers' ability to successfully cope with life's challenges, on facilitating recovery, and on building resilience - not just managing symptoms." From the final report of the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, these are the two guiding principles on which the Commission believes a successful transformation of the nation's mental health system rests.
Appointed by President Bush in April of 2002, the Commission studied the current status of the Nation's mental health services for over one year and released its findings and recommendations on July 22, 2003. Commission Chairperson Michael Hogan, Ph.D., who is director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health, concluded in his letter to the President that "…the Commission recommends a fundamental transformation of the Nation's approach to mental health care (which) must ensure that mental health services and supports actively facilitate recovery..…Too often, today's system…simply accepts long-term disability…and is not oriented to the single most important goal of the people it serves - the hope of recovery." Never before has the national policy that shapes the future of the American mental health system been so clearly recovery oriented. In Washington County, a belief in recovery has formed the underpinnings of our mental health services for years. This gives us a firm foundation in our efforts to achieve the six goals set forth by the Commission: oAmericans understand that mental health is essential to overall health. When people have a personal understanding of the facts, they will be less likely to stigmatize mental illnesses and more likely to seek help for mental health problems. The Commission recommends a public education campaign to help Americans understand that good mental health will have a positive impact on other illnesses as well, such as cancer and heart disease. Mental health care is consumer and family driven. People who have experienced a psychiatric disability are the experts on their own disability and their own recovery. The bottom line is this: people know what does and does not help them get better. We must recognize their expertise and acknowledge its value in treatment planning. Disparities in mental health services are eliminated. In a transformed system, all Americans will share equally in the best available services and outcomes, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or geographic location. Early mental health screening, assessment, and referral to services are common practice. Early detection is critical - if a child's emotional disturbance is identified and treated early, we can often prevent the onset of co-occurring substance abuse and break the cycle that otherwise leads to school failure and other problems. The Commission recommends screening for mental disorders as part of routine physical exams. Schools are also recommended as a readily accessible setting for early detection. Excellent mental health care is delivered and research is accelerated. Studies indicate that the lag time between discovering effective forms of treatment and incorporating them into routine care is about 15 - 20 years. The recommendation is to increase the rate of research and accelerate the implementation of proven practices. Technology is used to access mental health care and information. The Commission recommends increased used of health technology and telehealth to improve access and coordination of mental health care, particularly in remote or underserved populations. The evolution of our local system of mental health care is completely consistent with the Commission's directions; part of the challenge is refining funding principles to more fully support consumer centered and recovery oriented systems of care. We share the Commission's vision statement: "We envision a future when everyone with a mental illness will recover, a future when mental illnesses can be prevented or cured, a future when mental illnesses are detected early, and a future when everyone with a mental illness at any stage of life has access to effective treatment and supports - essentials for living, working, learning, and participating fully in the community."