Boston University Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences
Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation

Boston University Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences
Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation

History

The Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation has been in operation for over 40 years. Come along for a journey in time to see highlights of the Center's work.

The History of the Boston University CPR

We began in 1979 under the direction of Dr. Bill Anthony and his colleagues. The purpose of the Center was to bring the rehabilitation concepts and practices that had been available in other areas of disability services to individuals with psychiatric conditions. The notion that with the right skills and supports, a person with a significant psychiatric condition could live, learn, work and socialize in a community of their choice was indeed a radical concept. This timeline shows some of the significant contributions of the Center since its start.

Timeline

2019
Jun 01

Today

Center focus on employment research, training and services grows to include new tools for promoting employment; Center expands to develop and study career guidance, cognitive remediation, vocational peer support, vocational illness management, and other augmentations to evidence-based supported employment. Community participation becomes an area of study.

2010
Jan 01

2010’s

Center initiates the development of recovery-oriented Photovoice-based interventions, expands College Mental Health Programs, and creates novel ways to address barriers to full employment.

2000
Jan 01

2000’s

Center studies and creates services to address physical well-being; receives funding to study suicide prevention on college campuses; develops and studies a variety of peer-delivered services; and expands its recovery-focused research to focus on vocational recovery, spirituality, recovery-promoting competences.

1990
Jan 01

1990’s

The Center develops and implements international training-consultation programs in psychiatric rehabilitation; defines recovery and promotes “the Decade of Recovery”. Helps people “Choose-Get-Keep” work and implements the “Training for the Future” computer training program (IBM).

1980
Jan 01

1980’s

The Center develops psychiatric rehabilitation values, principles, practices, curricula, implementation processes and begins to study its effects; partners with the International Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (later PRA) to manage and produce the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal. The Center develops first model of Supported Education. The Center hires peers as staff and develops the Recovery Education Program, designed to help individuals with psychiatric disabilities live, learn and work in communities of their choice.

1979
Jan 01

1979

Funding received by the National Institute of Handicapped Research (now NIDILRR) to conduct research and training in psychiatric rehabilitation; the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation helps lay the foundation for field of psychiatric rehabilitation.