title: A cross-sectional study of recovery training and staff attitudes in four community mental health centers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recovery has become a concept often incorporated in mental health staff trainings. However, little research has investigated the influence of training on recovery attitudes. The current study examined whether recovery-related trainings in community mental health centers is associated with differences in staff attitudes and reported organizational practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 318 staff members at four community mental health centers completed questionnaires about their recovery attitudes and trainings they had received in the past year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to staff who had no recovery-related training in the past year, staff who had at least one recovery-related training reported significantly higher consumer optimism and a greater agency recovery orientation towards consumers' life goals. The number of recovery-related trainings was significantly correlated with scores on personal optimism, consumer optimism, and agency recovery orientation towards consumers' life goals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest recovery training is positively related to staff recovery attitudes and agency practices. Community mental health centers may benefit from a systematic approach to recovery training. Further research is needed to determine directionality of these relationships and to parse the mechanisms of action.
authors.affiliation: VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA. Jack.Tsai@yale.edu
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Michelle P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Salyers
authors.forename: Alan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: McGuire
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires