Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) is an evidence-based, manualized program designed to improve recovery outcomes for people with serious mental illnesses. It uses psychoeducational, cognitive behavioral, and motivational interventions and techniques to support the establishment and achievement of personally meaningful recovery goals. Participants work toward their mental health recovery by learning skills to manage their illness such as coping with symptoms and reducing stress; psychoeducation to increase knowledge of practical facts about mental health conditions and increase social connections to support community integration; behavioral tailoring to offer reminders to take medication; and cognitive behavioral approaches to challenge defeatist thinking and promote a hopeful view of recovery. Research suggests that participation in IMR improves recovery, reduces psychiatric symptoms and distress, and lowers risk of rehospitalization. To assess quality of implementation there are two fidelity scales available measuring programmatic fidelity and clinician level treatment adherence.

The Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC in the Rutgers Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions believes IMR is a critical intervention that supports recovery from serious mental illnesses. It aligns with the values of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and the belief that recovery is possible. The Northeast and Caribbean MHTTC has expertise in IMR as a result of the Department’s role as a training and TA center for IMR within the New Jersey state psychiatric hospital system for over 15 years and participation in NIH funded research on the practice and related tools.