Promoting Recovery: Achieving the Promise

on Mental Health1 presents an ambitious agenda to trans-form the nation’s mental health care systems (or current lack thereof) in order to better meet the needs of patients and families. One of the guiding principles for the report states that, in addition to ensuring that services and treat-ments are consumer- and family-centered, ‘‘caremust focus on increasing consumers ’ ability to successfully cope with life’s challenges, on facilitating recovery, and on building resilience, not just on managing symptoms.’’1 The report goes on, ‘‘Recovery refers to the process in which people are able to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. For some individuals, recovery is the ability to live a fulfilling and productive life despite a disability. For others, recovery implies the reduction or complete remission of symptoms. Science has shown that havin