The Recovery-Oriented Care Collaborative: A Practice-Based Research Network to Improve Care for People With Serious Mental Illnesses

• Published in: Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.) Vol. 66; no. 11; pp. 1132 - 1134
• Main Authors: Kelly, Erin L, Kiger, Holly, Gaba, Rebecca, Pancake, Laura, Pilon, David, Murch, Lezlie, Knox, Lyndee, Meyer, Mathew, Brekke, John S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Psychiatric Association 01.11.2015; American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc
• Subjects: Community Networks; Community-Based Participatory Research; Cooperative Behavior; Evidence-based medicine; Evidence-Based Practice; Humans; Los Angeles; Mental disorders; Mental health care; Mental Health Services - standards; Primary care; Translational Research, Biomedical; Los Angeles; Los Angeles California; United States > US
• ISSN: 1075-2730; 1557-9700
• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.201500076

Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) create continuous collaborations among academic researchers and practitioners. Most PBRNs have operated in primary care, and less than 5% of federally registered PBRNs include mental health practitioners. In 2012 the first PBRN in the nation focused on individuals with serious mental illnesses—the Recovery-Oriented Care Collaborative—was established in Los Angeles. This column describes the development of this innovative PBRN through four phases: building an infrastructure, developing a research study, executing the study, and consolidating the PBRN. Key lessons learned are also described, such as the importance of actively engaging direct service providers and clients.