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Individualized and Person Centered:

There are multiple pathways to recovery based on an individual’s unique strengths and resiliencies as well as his or her needs, preferences, experiences, and cultural background in all of its diverse representations.

Self Direction:

Client lead, control, exercise choice over, and determine their own path of recovery by optimizing autonomy, independence, and control of resources to achieve a self determined life. By definition, the recovery process must be self directed by the individual, who defines his or her own life goals and designs a unique path towards those goals.

Empowerment:

Clients have the authority to choose from a range of options and to participate in all decisions—including the allocation of resources—that will affect their lives, and are educated and supported in so doing. Through empowerment, an individual gains control of his or her own destiny and influences the organizational and societal structures in his or her life.

Strengths Based:

Recovery focuses on valuing and building on the multiple capacities, resiliencies, talents, coping abilities, and inherent worth of individuals. By building on these strengths, clients leave stymied life roles behind and engage in new life roles (e.g., partner, caregiver, friend, student,employee). The process of recovery moves forward through interaction with others in supportive, trust based relationships.

NonLinear:

Recovery is based on continual growth, occasional setbacks, and learning from experience. Recovery begins with an initial stage of awareness in which a person recognizes that positive change is possible. This awareness enables the consumer to move on to fully engage in the work of recovery.

Responsibility:

Clients have a personal responsibility for their own selfcare and journeys of recovery. Taking steps towards their goals may require great courage. Clients must strive to understand and give meaning to their experiences and identify coping strategies and healing processes to promote their own wellness.

Hope:

Recovery provides the essential and motivating message of a better future— that people can and do overcome the barriers and obstacles that confront them. Hope is internalized; but can be fostered by peers, families, friends, providers, and others. Hope is the catalyst of the recovery process.

Holistic:

Recovery encompasses an individual’s whole life, including mind, body, spirit, and community. Recovery embraces all aspects of life, including housing, employment, education, mental health and healthcare treatment and services, complementary and naturalistic services, addictions treatment, spirituality, creativity, social networks, community participation, and family supports as determined by the person. Families, providers, organizations, systems, communities, and society play crucial roles in creating and maintaining meaningful opportunities for client access to these supports.

Peer Support:

Mutual support—including the sharing of experiential knowledge and skills and social learning— plays an invaluable role in recovery. Clients encourage and engage other clients in recovery and provide each other with a sense of belonging, supportive relationships, valued roles, and community.

Respect:

Community, systems, and societal acceptance and appreciation of clients —including protecting their rights and eliminating discrimination and stigma—are crucial in achieving recovery. Self acceptance and regaining belief in one’s self are particularly vital. Respect ensures the inclusion and full participation of clients in all aspects of their lives.

National Mental Health Information Center ~ 1-800-789-2647, 1-866-889-2647 (TDD)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Mental Health Services www.samhsa.gov

RECOVERY VISION