Focusing on Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care

King County Reclaiming Futures is aligning their recovery work with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's revised definition and vision of recovery:

 “A process of change through which individuals work to improve their own health and wellbeing, live a self-directed life, and strive to achieve their full potential.”

Please take a moment to review the new "performance indicator" report, released by the King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) Mental Illness, Chemical Abuse and Dependency Services Division (MHCADSD).
A few highlights from the summary:

• Successful grant applications
• High quality programs
• A wide range of services
• Strong policymaker outreach

Despite difficult fiscal times, King County also made significant progress transforming to a Recovery Oriented System of Care (ROSC). They continue to focus on evidence-based practices throughout their system and increase provider capacity to use evidence-based service models. 

Note: The Performance Indicator Report is intended to inform the community of the Division’s strategic vision and performance, and how their services align with the larger King County Strategic Plan in the areas of Justice and Safety and Health and Human Potential. In some instances, services are provided directly by the county, such as through the Emergency Services Patrol. More often, they contract with community-based providers to deliver the services and monitor for quality. This report is a snapshot of the Division’s work in 2011.

Susan Richardson is national executive director for Reclaiming Futures. Formerly, she was a senior program officer in the health care division of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust in North Carolina, where she led a three-year effort involving the state's juvenile justice and treatment leaders to adopt the Reclaiming Futures model by juvenile courts in six North Carolina counties. She received her B.S. in Public Health, Health Policy and Administration, from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.