Collaboration for Recovery: Expert Mental Health Worker Experiences with the Recovery Assessment Scale - Domain and Stages (RAS-DS).

Abstract

The Recovery Assessment Scale - Domains and Stages (RAS-DS) was designed as a tool to promote collaboration between mental health workers and consumers. However, many workers use it solely for its other purpose-as an outcome measure - and lack knowledge and confidence to use it collaboratively. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the strategies adopted by mental health workers who successfully utilize RAS-DS to facilitate collaborative recovery planning. Using a qualitative descriptive design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with expert collaborative RAS-DS users and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Participants described implementing a range of strategies to facilitate collaborative practice when using RAS-DS. These included strategies to both encourage consumers to complete RAS-DS in a meaningful way and to facilitate discussions about the results for consumer-driven goals and interventions. Findings provide guidance for mental health workers seeking to use RAS-DS collaboratively to support recovery.