The study results offer promising evidence that higher SMCM fidelity has a positive effect on clients over an 18-month period, thereby providing an effective complement to current mental health treatment.

The economic impact of a lack of educational achievement for individuals with psychiatric disabilities is profound. Current poor economic conditions exacerbate the effects of low educational levels. This article presents the current educational barriers faced by individuals with psychiatric disabilities and introduces one potential solution: supported education. Supported education is an emerging best practice which holds promise for helping individuals with psychiatric disabilities in their pursuit of educational goals. However, additional barriers stand in the way of widespread supported education implementation. Recommendations are included for policymakers and community mental health centers to help increase the penetration of this much-needed service.

The implementation of recovery-oriented and evidence-based practices has become a major challenge for mental health systems and front-line practitioners. This study developed an instrument that would assess the benefits or results that accrue from supervision, including client-centered supervision. The Perceptions of Supervisory Support Scale was administered to 262 case managers. Analyses (including factor analyses and repeated measures analysis of variance) confirmed content validity and reliability. Sub-scales included: (1) emotional support; (2) support for client goal achievement; and (3) professional development support. The scale could guide support for front-line practitioners in delivering client-centered care and could be useful for future research.

Objective We examined consumer outcomes before and after implementing CommonGround, a computer-based shared decision-making program. Methods Consumers with severe mental illness (n=167) were interviewed prior to implementation as well as 12 and 18 months later to assess changes in active treatment involvement, symptoms, and recovery-related attitudes. Providers also rated consumers on level of treatment involvement. Results Most consumers used CommonGround at least once (67%), but few used the program regularly. Mixed effects regression analyses showed improvement in self-reported symptoms and recovery attitudes. Self-reported treatment involvement did not change, but for a subset with the same providers over time, the providers rated consumers as more active in treatment. Conclusions This study adds to the growing literature on tools to support shared decision-making, showing the potential benefits of CommonGround for improving recovery outcomes. More work is needed to better engage consumers in CommonGround and to test the approach with more rigorous methods.

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