This qualitative study explored the experiences and patterns of recovery of Chinese-born women living in Canada with a history of suicidal behaviour. It explores a number of dimensions of recovery including clinical, existential, functional, physical, and social. The women described engaging in “survival” recovery in the short term and “thriving” recovery in the long term, with survival strategies extending into the thriving phase of recovery during their complex path to it. The survival recovery phase included accessing culturally sensitive mental health care and obtaining social and instrumental support to help ensure safety, manage stress, and treat psychiatric symptoms. The thriving phase of recovery was described as involving six components: developing an explanatory model with their health care provider; undertaking a process of narrative reflection and prioritizing self-care; engaging in interdisciplinary care team support; engaging the support of family and friends; exploring spiritual and existential supports; and creating goals for the future and a sense of mastery. Through these six avenues, the women began to experience a sense of self-efficacy and agency that improved their ability to cope with stress and pressure, leading to building a life with meaning. The interviews provided insights into how clinical care can be improved and how practitioners can implement a more recovery-oriented approach to practice.

The managed care initiatives sweeping the nation are having a profound effect on the way that social workers deliver services to people with severe mental illness. Social work, with its client-focused value base and relevant conceptual frameworks, has an opportunity to provide leadership in this area. To do so, however, social workers must keep abreast of developments in managed care; use efficacy information more systematically; and promote consumer involvement in the design, implementation, and monitoring of managed care programs for people with severe mental illness.

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The effect of an intervention to change graduate MSW students' attitudes towards the severely mentally ill was investigated. Positive changes in attitude were observed for the students who participated in the intervention. Attitude scores of students in the comparison group remained the same. The encouraging findings of this study suggest that the negative attitudes of social work students towards this population can be improved. Implications for future research and training of professionals working with the severely mentally ill are discussed.

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