"FareAssieme". A MODEL OF PARTICIPATORY CO-PRODUCTION BY USERS AND FAMILIES IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

Abstract

"FareAssieme" is a recovery-oriented community psychiatry model that has been implemented by the Mental Health Service of Trento since 1999. The approach is grounded in the active involvement of users and family members, with particular emphasis on experiential knowledge - the insights derived from lived experience of mental illness and recovery - as a resource for improving the quality of care and rehabilitation processes. At its core, the model involves the structured integration of Peer Support Experts (ESPs, Esperti in Supporto tra Pari), individuals with personal or familial experience of psychological distress who have attained a stable life balance and developed effective coping strategies. ESPs are embedded across all domains of the mental health service (SSM), including community teams, crisis services (territorial and hospital-based), residential settings, and front-office activities. Their role is to support others in their recovery journeys through narrative sharing and emotional proximity. ESPs have contributed to enhanced user engagement, improved service climate, and increased trust in providers. They have proven particularly effective in engaging individuals initially resistant to treatment, thereby facilitating stronger therapeutic alliances. The model also fostered the creation of the Participatory Planning Group (GPP), a deliberative body comprising users, families, ESPs, and professionals, which has developed several Operational Guidelines to standardize and disseminate shared practices within the SSM. "FareAssieme" stands as a validated model of participatory, recovery-oriented psychiatry. It highlights the transformative value of experiential knowledge within mental health services and makes a meaningful contribution to anti-stigma efforts and the co-construction of inclusive care pathways.