Washington Mental Health Reform Coaltion

Washington Mental Health Reform Coalition's Eleven Point Principles to 
Build Consensus for a Recovery system that is Truely Consumer-Directed:
 
1.      Consumer-Centered, Consumer-Focused Services
2.      Consumer Rights - Protection & Enforced
3.      Consumer-Directed & Consumer-Voiced Policy Development
4.      Comprehensive, Integrative, Collaborative MH System
5.      From Privileges to Rights-Ten Core Recommendations
6.      Uphold the American with Disability Act-1990
7.      Strengths Perspective
8.      Home and Community-Focused
9.      Preventive Services
10.  Outcome Based Systems
11.  Cost Effectiveness.
 
 
Mental health recovery is a journey of healing and transformation enabling a person 
with a mental health problem to live a meaningful life in a community of his or her 
choice while striving to achieve his or her full potential. 
 
The 10 Fundamental Components of Recovery
Self-Direction: Consumers 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.
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 (including past trauma), and cultural background in all of its diverse representations.
Individuals also identify recovery as being an ongoing journey and an end result as well as an 
overall paradigm for achieving wellness and optimal mental health.
Empowerment: Consumers 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. They have the ability to join with other consumers 
to collectively and effectively speak for themselves about their needs, wants, desires, and 
aspirations. Through empowerment, an individual gains control of his or her own destiny and 
influences the organizational and societal structures in his or her life.
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 consumer 
access to these supports.
Non-Linear: Recovery is not a step-bystep process but one based on continual growth, oc-
casional setbacks, and learning from experience. Recovery begins with an initial stage of aware-
ness 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. 
Strengths-Based: Recovery focuses on valuing and building on the multiple capacities, re-
siliencies, talents, coping abilities, and inherent worth of individuals. By building on these strengths, 
consumers leave stymied life roles behind and engage in new life roles (e.g., partner, caregiver, 
friend, student, employee). Th e process of recovery moves forward through interaction with 
others in supportive, trust-based relationships. 
Peer Support: Mutual support—including the sharing of experiential knowledge and skills and 
social learning—plays an invaluable role in recovery. Consumers encourage and engage other 
consumers 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 consumers —
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 consumers in all aspects of their lives.
Responsibility: Consumers have a personal responsibility for their own self-care and journeys
 of recovery. Taking steps towards their goals may require great courage. Consumers 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. Mental health recovery not only benefi ts individuals with mental health 
disabilities by focusing on their abilities to live, work, learn, and fully participate in our society, 
but also enriches the texture of American community life. America reaps the benefi ts of the 
contributions individuals with mental disabilities can make, ultimately becoming a stronger and 
healthier Nation.
 
Resources
www.samhsa.gov
National Mental Health Information Center
1-800-789-2647, 1-866-889-2647 (TDD)