In November, 2005, the PA Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services published A Call for Change: Toward A Recovery-Oriented Mental Health System for Adults . Recovery means "a self-determined and holistic journey that people undertake to heal and grow. Recovery is facilitated by relationships and environments that provide hope, empowerment, choices and opportunities that allow people to reach their full potential as contributing community members."

 

Recovery is a term also used in the fields of physical illness and disability. Recovery is described as a deeply personal process that involves changing attitudes and beliefs. It may change the way a person lives by offering a satisfying, hopeful, and productive life---in spite of the limitations caused by the disability. Each person has specific needs, goals, health attitudes, behaviors and expectations for recovery that are his or her own. There are certain experiences, however, that people consistently describe as critical to the success of recovery. These include:

• The reawakening of hope
• Self-Determination
• Developing strong relationships with caring, encouraging, hopeful people
• Self-monitoring and self-management
• Vocational activity and schooling
• Developing a sense of meaning and purpose
• Knowledge and acceptance of disabilities
• Self-help and support