Developing consumer/ survivor/recovering voice and its impact on services and research: Our experience with the SAMHSA Women, Co‐Occurring Disorders and Violence Study

Abstract

Integrating consumer/survivor/recovering (C/S/R) women in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Women, Co‐Occurring Disorders and Violence Study involved both struggles and growth. The C/S/R women and all of our professional allies, both individually and collectively, greatly enhanced the study by overcoming what earlier seemed to be insurmountable obstacles. Integral to the C/S/R group's personal and professional growth was the development and expression of their individual and collective voices. Documenting this history and the impact that the collaboration between the C/S/R women and other professional staff had on the study is of vital importance in the field of research and advocacy. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 33: 513–525, 2005.

Shelter from the Storm: Trauma-Informed Care in Homelessness Services Settings~!2009-08-20~!2009-09-28~!2010-03-22~!

“…This wisdom is consistent with theories on empowerment, which suggest that survivors should be given agency in effecting their own outcomes [36]. The WCDVS found that integrating consumers into the design and evaluation of services had a profound impact on the systems involved [19], and that "integral to the… group's personal and professional growth was the development and expression of their individual and collective voices" [27].…”

“…Some have suggested that programs could benefit from having more trauma services, that practitioners need to remain patient, and that consumers themselves need to be invested in actively addressing their own issues [26]. However, even within trauma-informed systems, consumers sometimes struggle to feel empowered within a larger service system [27].…”

Exploring African‐American womens' experiences with substance use treatment: A review of the literature

“…This was also a concern among a group of participants in a co‐occurring treatment services program. Women in this group felt the treatment centers were not equipped to help them deal with the trauma and other psychological issues in their lives, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (Mockus et al, ). System‐related barriers bring up questions about the quality of care African‐American women encounter in their communities and the availability of ancillary services such as childcare, education, and other social service‐related services.…”

Perspectives on trauma-informed care from mothers with a history of childhood maltreatment: A qualitative study

“…The perinatal period is a particularly vulnerable time with serious implications for both mother and child if symptoms go untreated, yet trauma-exposed mothers have difficulty seeking and receiving help, partly due to the lack of appropriate services and in part due to internal barriers hindering help-seeking. First person accounts from women with histories of childhood abuse affirm that mental health symptoms are inextricably intertwined with the motherhood role (Bassett, Lampe, & Lloyd, 1999; Mockus et al, 2005; Savvidou, Bozikas, Hatzigeleki, & Karavatos, 2003), however, many service agency guidelines undervalue this fundamental aspect of women’s lives (Becker, et al, 2005). More information is required about the unique needs of these women in order to build and sustain successful programs that keep families engaged.…”

“…The WCDVS project also stressed the importance of naming oneself in order to preserve often-silenced survivor voices (Mockus, et al, 2005). In our study, we asked women to offer possible names for a proposed interventional program.…”