Recovery as Policy in Mental Health Services: Strategies Emerging from the States

The concept of recovery has emerged as a significant paradigm in the field of public mental health services. This paper outlines how the concept is being implemented in the policies and practices of mental health systems in the United States. After a brief overview of the historical background of recovery and a description of the common themes that have emerged across the range of its definitions, the paper describes the specific strategies being used by the states to implement recovery principles. The authors conclude by raising key questions about the implications of adopting recovery as system policy.