RECOVERY PARADIGM IN MENTAL HEALTH: IMPLICATION FOR SOCIAL ... values and beliefs of the consumer-survivor recovery movement are closely ...
RECOVERY PARADIGM IN MENTAL HEALTH: IMPLICATION FOR SOCIAL WORK1 Adi Fahrudin, PhD2 Social workers have long been involved in developing, administering, and providing services for people with psychiatric disabilities. Critics of the system, including social workers and mental health consumer-survivor practitioners, have noted that the medical model has been a driving force in policy and services provision. I am believe that the values and beliefs of the consumer-survivor recovery movement are closely aligned with those of the profession, and that the movement offers social workers a more promising perspective from which to practice. Professor Robert Bland dan Ann Tullgren paper title “Recovery Theory in Practice: Consumer and Practitioner Perspective” to highlight three topic; theoretical of recovery, issues in recovery practice, and utility of recovery theory in social work practice. My comments to Professor Robert Bland dan Ann Tullgren paper are as follows: 1) Utilizing theory/theories in assessment work with patients is very helpful as this provide a framework for social workers to assess patients‟ problems, needs then move on to plan intervention to respond to their needs. 2) Utilizing a specific model such as the „Recovery model‟ requires an understanding of : 2.1) How helpful this theory is to the person with mental illness ? 2.2) Social worker needs to know How the Patient understands his /her „illness‟ , What can the patient do so as to have control of his/her Recovery ? 2.3) Check Obstacles to Recovery from mental illness : 2.3.1 Illiterate patient Patients with no formal education or attained a low education level may have difficulty communicating their life experiences of their illness adequately. They may also be unable to make independent decisions about treatment choices. Instead, doctors or members of the treatment team will decide what treatment to give. 2.3.2 Poverty When patients are poor and without basic amenities such as food and shelter; it would be difficult for them to focus on improving their health and be in control of their recovery. Social workers work with such patients to address their socio-economic needs as well as provide support to patients‟ efforts to restore their health. Comment to Paper “Recovery Theory in Practice: Consumer and Practitioner Perspective by Professor Robert Bland & Ann Tullgren”, presented at KAMHSW Anniversary, May 10th, 2013 2 Associate Professor of Social Work at Department of Social Welfare, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Muhammadiyah Jakarta, Indonesia 1
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2.3.3 Cultural factors Differences in culture may be an obstacle to this model. There may be different views on caring for self and maintaining wellness. In such instances it would be helpful to view the person‟s recovery in their situational context . 2.3.4 Patients suffering from severe mental illness. These group of patients are usually dependent on doctors and other members of the treatment team to decide on their treatment plan. It may be helpful to involve close family members in developing a „recovery management plan‟ for these patients. 3) Approach can be „time consuming’. It takes time to listen to patient‟s recovery experiences. It has been recommended that Recovery approach be used long term to allow patient to build his/her potentials and recover from their illness. This approach may be difficult to implement fully where there is shortage of social workers. 4) Consider using „recovery theory‟ in a group Patients with good insight and have similar mental illness can come together and share their life experiences and support each other in recovering from their illness. 5) Promoting use of „recovery theory‟ for Individual patient can be enriching for social workers. In the assessment of new mental patients, social workers may encourage the use of this approach on a trial basis. If this approach is beneficial to patient, then patient may be able to „direct his recovery‟. 6) The social workers role would be to provide adequate follow-up support long term and work towards empowering the patient, maximizing patient‟s quality of life and minimising the impact of illness on the patient. 7) Social work practitioners need to be resourceful and participate actively in strengthening existing resources or building suitable new resources in the community to support patient‟s recovery. Example: Improving employment opportunities for mental patients to include direct job placements 8) Given the above strengths and difficulties, recovery theory pose exciting challenges to the social work practitioners. We can learn from the „live experiences‟ of patients and understand what their symptoms mean to them in order to improve social worker‟s ability to provide them with the support they need to achieve wellness. 9) Further this theory provides ample opportunities for social workers to practice basic social work principles such as client acceptance, self-determination and free expression of their feelings.
