Catching Up with the World

Too often, people in long-term psychiatric care are left out of the recovery and rehabilitation process. These people, who may have been institutionalized for years, are often regarded as "hopeless" –– but in fact they can make great strides toward recovery.

Catching Up With the World profiles P.R.I.S.M., an ongoing rehabilitation program for people with serious mental illness developed at Medfield State Hospital in Massachusetts. P.R.I.S.M. (Psychiatric Rehabilitation Integrated Services Model) emphasizes changing the institutional environment to encourage patient participation and autonomy. It requires total commitment by hospital staff and new roles for patients.

P.R.I.S.M. poses questions about the nature of long-term psychiatric care. Traditionally, hospitals have often operated under a "caretaker" approach. This video explores P.R.I.S.M.’s shift towards a rehabilitative form of care that not only increases patient independence, but also reduces the cost of care. The videotape examines the model’s reception among both staff and patients, and highlights the obstacles being overcome in order to implement it.

The video demonstrates that when patients are involved in their treatment, their functional ability and quality of life can improve regardless of their diagnosis. The restoration of hope and self-esteem can contribute greatly to the process of recovery from serious mental illness.

This tape will be of value across the spectrum of care, including psychiatric hospitals, mental health centers, group homes, clubhouses and drop-in centers - wherever rehabilitation programs are in place or being considered.

Catching Up With the World was produced, directed and edited by Charles Phred Churchill

VHS format only