Psychiatrists and Psychiatric Rehabilitation

Interventions that focus directly on functional impairments related to mental illnesses are termed psychiatric rehabilitation. Research demonstrates that rehabilitation services are increasingly able to help adults with psychiatric disabilities achieve the functional outcomes they desire, particularly in the areas of housing and employment. To support the community lives of adults with severe mental illnesses, psychiatrists must stay current with advances in this field and know how to integrate psychiatric rehabilitation with other interventions. This article reviews the concept of psychiatric rehabilitation, current approaches in the field, the psychiatrist's role in these services, and implications for psychiatric training and continuing education.