Psychologists are not currently major providers in the care and treatment of patients suffering from long-term mental illness. However, psychologists could play a very significant role in the care of this population. The outcome research literature strongly indicates that while psychoactive medications can suppress the symptoms of serious mental illness, psychological rehabilitation actually holds out hope for recovery. In this endeavor, psychologists would be well advised to work to develop partnerships with recovered consumers. There is a growing cadre of people who have recovered from serious mental illness who can serve as invaluable allies in the recovery process because of their ability to relate to the consumer’s experience. Such consumers, also known as “survivors of psychiatric treatment” and “ex-mental patients” are interested in collaborating with psychologists, and deeply believe from their own experiences that psychotherapy and psychosocial rehabilitation can be very beneficial. But to develop such a coalition, consumers state clearly that psychologists must understand the perspectives of consumers on such matters as participating in their own recovery, the integration of self-help with professional services, living with a diagnosis of serious mental illness, forced treatment and its alternatives, and on the abuses that many have experienced in the mental health system.

There will be a mini-convention this summer at the APA convention in Boston on this very topic. Titled “Consumers and Psychologists in Dialogue,” its purpose is to open a dialogue on the topic of recovery from long term mental illness between the larger psychological community and the community of recovering consumers of mental health services, and to begin the process of developing partnerships and coalitions to our mutual benefit.

The idea for the mini-convention was generated during a weekend in August 1998 sponsored by the Center for Mental Health Services of SAMSHA, in which ten representatives each from the psychologist and the consumer communities were invited to Washington to work on developing a dialogue. The participants found this meeting to be of such significance that we decided that it would be a good idea to present some of the content to the larger community of psychologists In this era of cost containment in mental health services, the time may be ripe for the formation of a broad-based coalition between consumers of mental health services and psychologists.

The mini-convention will consists of 11 sessions including a “Town Hall Meeting,” in which psychologists specializing in the psychology of long term mental illness conduct a dialogue with consumers of mental health services, and in which prominent leaders in psychology serve as discussants. The mini-convention is sponsored by the APA Board of Directors and cosponsored by CAPP, APAGS, BPA, BEA, BAPPI, and Divisions 18, 31, 35, 42 and 43. The mini-convention is partially supported by the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, The co-chairs are: Ronald Levant, Ed.D., Catherine Acuff, Ph.D., Robert Coursey, Ph.D., Ronald Bassman, Ph.D.

Division Activities, News & Notes

Miniconvention on Consumers and Psychologists in Dialogue at APA Convention

By Ronald F. Lavant, APA Recording Secretary