Dialogue for Recovery

What is Dialogue for Recovery?

Dialogue for Recovery is a Mental Health America program aimed at educating consumers about prevalent mental health conditions, treatment options and quality of life issues affecting their recovery. This program is also designed to enhance communication between consumers and their health care providers so that consumers can find the right combination of medications and support services to develop effective treatment plans.

Why is there a need for Dialogue for Recovery?

Mental Health America developed Dialogue for Recovery to raise awareness of the need for regular communication between patients and doctors about medication side-effects.  

According to the United States Surgeon General, at least one in five people during the course of a year will live with a diagnosable mental disorder. Although recent medical advances and improved community support programs offer consumers a greater opportunity than ever to lead full and productive lives, many consumers discontinue their medications, particularly antipsychotic medications, because of unpleasant side effects. Discontinuing medication is a serious concern, especially for those people with schizophrenia, because it increases a consumer's risk of a relapse of illness.

What are the components of the Dialogue for Recovery program?

The Dialogue for Recovery Web site features tools to open up communication with healthcare providers. It gives consumers the information they need to educate themselves about treatment options, paying for care, and getting the most from their treatment. The website also links to an interactive screening tool to assess for such conditions as depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders.

The Dialogue for Recovery program also utilizes several print resources to facilitate communication between patients and their doctors:

• A user-friendly tool called the Antipsychotic Side-effects Checklist, or ASC. ASC is designed to help patients and their doctors easily identify and communicate about medication side-effects by encouraging them to “ASC” the right questions, so they can determine which side-effects are most bothersome and whether the treatment needs to be modified.
  
• Other program components include: a brochure and wallet card on how patients can discuss side-effects with their physicians, a physician fact sheet, a family and friends guide, and a video featuring patients building relationships with their physicians and on their road to recovery.
  
• After a Diagnosis (PDF)
• Psychiatric Advance Directives (PDF)
• Support Services for Recovery (PDF)
• TreatmentOptions for Recovery (PDF)
• About Dialogue for Recovery - Overview *
  
  Consumers
  
• Brochure - includes ASC form (PDF)
• After A Diagnosis (PDF)
• Support Services (PDF)
• Treatment Options (PDF)
• Psychiatric Advance Directives (PDF)
• Wallet Card (PDF)
  
  Family & Friends
  
• Giving Support to Someone Close to You - Family and Friends Guide (PDF)
  
  Healthcare Provider
  
• Fostering a Dialogue for Recovery (PDF)
• Antipsychotic Side-effects Checklist (ASC) (PDF)