The role of community integration and empowerment for the transformative change in community mental health

Abstract

The present article first presents a critique about the current status of the CMH field; and second based in theoretical and empirical literature it presents a perspective inspired by the inception of community psychology, namely the empowerment and community integration principles to offer a challenging framework to inspire reforms in CMH field. The article also discusses two major promising CMH practices: supported employment and independent housing with support, determinant for the transformation of the life conditions of the people experiencing mental illness while promoting people’s empowerment and integration in the community. Concluding authors argue that CMH programs and practices focused on integration, together with self-representation movements, organizations or networks, aligned with the community psychology acting principles, have the potential to inform a renovated partnership within CMH stakeholders, and bring about sustainable change focused on the active citizenship for the people who experience mental illness.