Advocacy in social work: Recovery-focused systems for people living with serious mental health issues

Studies have demonstrated for decades that people living with serious mental health issues (SMHI) are able to recover and live satisfying and productive lives in the community. Although the recovery model has been adopted by many mental health service providers, many people still experience systemic barriers to social inclusion and hindrances to recovery by formal helping systems. These barriers and hindrances include experiences of societal stigma, abuses of power and a lack of access to needed supports, such as employment, housing and income. Social workers, due to their extensive involvement at all levels of care to people suffering with SMHI, and the particular values of their profession (with its emphasis on larger systemic areas that are not traditionally accepted as points of intervention for mental health treatment, i.e., inclusion, employment, housing, income and societal stigma) possess key insight and are uniquely placed to potentially create and direct the urgent change and improvements required in Canadian mental health care. This article examines recent developments and ongoing shortcomings in recovery, identifies issues related to the use of multiple perspectives, and discusses the important role of social work in the advocacy for recovery-focused systems for people with SMHI.