Implementing the illness management and recovery program for consumers with severe mental illness

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Interventions
• Evidence-Based Practices
• Psychiatric Rehabilitation

Background:

• Severe mental illness (SMI) presents significant challenges for individuals and healthcare systems.
• Effective interventions are crucial for promoting recovery and improving outcomes in adults with SMI.
• The Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) program is a curriculum-based intervention designed for adults with SMI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the statewide implementation of the IMR program.
• To assess the fidelity of IMR program implementation in community mental health centers.
• To examine changes in illness self-management, hope, and service satisfaction among consumers with SMI.

Main Methods:

• Seven community mental health centers received support for IMR implementation.
• Trainers provided skills training, monitoring, and consultation.
• Fidelity was assessed using the IMR Fidelity Scale; outcomes were measured using the IMR Scale, Adult State Hope Scale, and Satisfaction With Services Scale for 324 consumers.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation occurred at six of seven sites, with five achieving high fidelity by 12 months.
• Significant improvements in illness self-management were reported by consumers and clinicians.
• Consumers reported increased hope, but no significant changes in satisfaction with services were observed.

Conclusions:

• The IMR program demonstrates feasibility for high-fidelity implementation in community mental health settings.
• The IMR program shows potential as a meaningful, evidence-based intervention for promoting recovery in adults with SMI.
• Findings support the use of IMR to enhance self-management and hope among individuals with severe mental illness.