Barriers to recovery in a First Nations community

Abstract

The practice of psychiatric rehabilitation is a concept and method that developed in urban-based settings. It has become a widely used guiding principle in mental health practice. This research examines how psychiatric rehabilitation fits within a remote First Nations community. Ten people - service providers, consumers, and family members - were interviewed to gather information about their perceptions of and experiences within the mental health system. The interview material was examined using content analysis. The results suggest that geographic and economic factors create serious barriers to application of the psychiatric rehabilitation method in a remote First Nations community.