Recovery Assistance Programs

Some people working on their recovery find it helpful to follow a program that gives step-by-step advice, like Mary Ellen Copeland's Wellness Action Recovery Plan (WRAP). Programs such as these can help you to get well, stay well, and prepare you for times when you're feeling less well. Here are several programs and toolkits that will allow you to be more proactive in your recovery by teaching you how to plan and evaluate every stage. These action plans also give you the tools you need to create your own toolbox.

Wellness Recovery Action Plan

Developed in 1989, WRAP is designed to help you 1) identify what makes you well, and then 2) use wellness tools to relieve difficult feelings and maintain wellness. Your WRAP program is specific to your individual recovery because it is designed and implemented by you and you alone. WRAP is not intended to replace traditional treatments, and can be used as a compliment to your current treatment plans.

Key elements of WRAP include:

Wellness Toolbox
Daily Maintenance Plan
Identifying Triggers and an Action Plan
Identifying Early Warning Signs and an Action Plan
Identifying When Things Are Breaking Down and an Action Plan
Crisis Planning

To learn more about the WRAP program visit http://www.mentalhealthrecovery.com/index.php.

Wellness Tracker from the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

This new addition to the DBSA's Wellness Toolbox is an online tool that allows you to keep track of your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. With the Wellness Tracker, you can better recognize potential health problems and mood triggers in your daily life by tracking: your overall mood, mood disorder symptoms, lifestyle, medication, and physical health.

To learn more about DBSA's Wellness Tracker, visit https://tracker.facingus.org/.

SAMHSA's "Recovering Your Mental Health" Series

Funded by SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), and prepared by Mary Ellen Copeland (creator of the WRAP program), "Recovering Your Mental Health" is a series of self-help guides directed at consumers. It covers a range of topics like: Action Planning for Prevention and Recovery, Building Self-Esteem, Developing a Recovery and Wellness Lifestyle, and Speaking Out for Yourself.

To access these publications, visit http://store.samhsa.gov/ and search for "Recovering Your Mental Health".

You can find out about more programs through websites, books and community mental health centers. You can also find them through your local Mental Health America affiliate or by visiting Mental Health America to find a support group.