title: Education and training column: communities of practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This column describes the key components of a community of practice, with examples from the experience of 1 such group.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A community of practice is a potentially useful model for developing and disseminating knowledge about psychiatric rehabilitation and to supplement the short-term training sessions that typically constitute psychiatric rehabilitation workforce development.
  
  
  METHODS
  This description draws from published material on communities of practice and the authors' experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Communities of practice are receiving increased attention for workforce development, and guidelines do exist for making these communities effective in achieving their aims. The development of such learning communities provides members with a chance for professional development, but also the opportunity to develop greater overall capacity of the mental health system by sharing knowledge and expertise across organizational lines.
authors.affiliation: Nemec Consulting.
authors.forename: Patricia B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Nemec
authors.affiliation: Vinfen Corporation.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: LaMaster
mesh_terms: D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D008404:Massachusetts; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D013192:Staff Development / Q000379:methods*