Mental Illness and recovery

Special international guest, Dr Steven J. Onken from the University of Hawai‘i in Mÿnoa USA shares his findings.

Dr Steven J. Onken stands behind his strong message to mental health service providers and practioners

When Steven J. Onken, Ph.D. was recently visiting Australia, MMHA seized on the opportunity to invite him to give a special presentation on mental illness and recovery at its premises on the Cumberland Hospital Campus.

Dr Onken is a Mental Health Services Research Specialist with the Mental Health Service Research, Evaluation and Training Center (MHSRET), which has an associate faculty joint appointment with the School of Social Work and the Social Science Research Institute at the University of Hawai‘i in Mÿnoa, USA.

Dr Onken specialises in mental health recovery; and the measurement and sustainable development of consumer/survivor self-help and peer support services.  His work also focuses on mental health evidence-based practices (including supported employment), as well as social networks and supports.

The mental health recovery specialist also serves on several national workgroups, taskforces and advisory committees in the areas of mental health performance indicators, outcomes, data collection, self-determination, community integration, staff competencies, recovery, person-directed planning, consumer operated program services, and alternatives to seclusion and restraint.

His international collaborations include New Zealand, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Scotland, England, and Colombia.

Dr Onken also has direct practice experience in the areas of mental health and disability; civil and legal rights protection and advocacy; social networks and supports, mental health evidence-based practices, sexual orientation, gender expression and strategies addressing hate violence; as well as in community organizing and development and organizational design and management.

His Powerpoint presentation on “A Recovery Oriented System:
Summary Tables of What It Is, What It Isn’t” was well attended by staff from MMHA, the NSW Transcultural Mental Health Centre, the Diversity Health Institute and Sydney West Area Health Service.

For a copy of the report, “Mental Health Recovery: What Helps and What Hinders?” is available at http://www.nasmhpd.org.

Click on ‘publications’, scroll to ‘National Technical Assistance Center for State Mental Health Planning (NTAC) Publications and Reports’ and click on ‘Technical Reports’ and scroll to the 2002 list of reports. This is where you will find the “Mental Health Recovery: What Helps and What Hinders?” report.

If you have need any assistance contact:

National Technical Assistance Center
66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 302, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA
Phone: (703) 739-9333; Fax: (703) 548-9517
General inquiries: ntac@nasmhpd.org