From Moral Treatment to Radical Recovery
As the IOL approached its bicentennial during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a desire to engage broadly with internal and external partners to co-write the next chapter in the organization’s history. As part of Hartford Healthcare, the organization sought to prioritize access, affordability, equity, and excellence as part of its strategic direction. Yet, also recognized that more robust engagement would help translate the principles of Moral Treatment into the 21st century. The IOL was once a beacon for other organizations, providing thought leadership and guidance on how to center the dignity of those suffering.
A series of focus groups were held with internal and external stakeholders ranging from staff within the IOL to key areas and departments of Hartford Hospital and Hartford Healthcare. There was also considerable community engagement with social service organizations and partners, and engagement with civic leaders in the city of Hartford.
The engagement process led to several insights into the IOL’s strengths and opportunities for improvement. There was also greater clarity regarding aspirations for the future and potential metrics of success. It was clear from the first phase of engagement that the IOL is the birthplace of modern psychiatry in New England with a longstanding tradition of service, advocacy, and excellence. There was pride in the mission of providing the best and most effective treatments for complex forms of mental illness, education for the mental health workforce of the future, and the dissemination of high-impact research. However, there was also recognition that not all members of our community are able to access the services they need.
Opportunities included expanding the IOL’s model of care beyond a restrictive focus on biomedical interventions towards a more integrative approach that is more holistic while remaining anchored to evidence. There was also a desire to reduce fragmentation, enhance engagement with families, caregivers, and communities, and build a stronger foundation of staff well-being. Above all, we knew we wanted to continue our tradition while being bold and innovative for the future.
The concept of Radical Recovery can mean different things to different people. For us at the IOL, it is a vision that encompasses our past, present, and future.
We believe in a future for mental healthcare that is far more patient-centered, far less coercive, and far more attuned to the healing power of community.
We believe in a system where healers and sufferers co-design spaces for true healing.
We believe in a future for mental healthcare that is co-designed with those who have lived and living experience of suffering.
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Radical Recovery is anchored on the principles of integration, liberation, and innovation.
