Based on the understanding that recovery from mental illness includes
attention to social and economic inclusion as well as adequate access to a
balanced system of hospital and community mental health care, the World Psychiatric
Association (WPA) recommends to the international mental health community
the following approach for collaborative work between mental health practitioners**,
service users** and family/carers** |
WPA recommends that: |
1. Respecting human rights is the basis of successful partnerships for
mental health. |
2. Legislation, policy and clinical practice relevant to the lives and
care of people with mental disorders need to be developed in collaboration
between mental health practitioners, service users, and carers. |
3. The international mental health community should promote and support
the development of service users’ organizations and carers’ organizations. |
4. Improving mental health is essential for economic and social development.
This requires participation of all sectors of the community. |
5. International and local professional organizations, including WPA through
its programs and member societies, are expected to seek meaningful involvement
of service users and carers in their own activities where appropriate. |
6. The best mental health care of any person in acute or rehabilitation
situations is done in collaboration between mental health practitioners, service
users, and carers. Working in this way generally benefits from special skills
and training. |
7. Education, research and quality improvement in mental health care requires
collaboration between mental health practitioners, service users and carers. |
8. The recovery process in mental health includes economic and social
inclusion, as well as medical care. Examples of economic and social inclusion
are access to: education and training, housing, employment, advocacy and family
support. |
9. WPA member societies and other professional groups should collaborate
with service users’ organizations, carers’ organizations and other
community organizations to lobby governments for political will and action
for better mental health services, community education and fighting stigma
and discrimination. |
10. Enhancing user and carer empowerment should be sought through a range
of different approaches and ideas, for example: the development of self-help
groups; participation in service planning and management boards; employment
of people with mental health disabilities as service providers and inclusive
local anti-stigma-anti discrimination programs. |