Needs assessment of individuals with serious mental illness: can it help in promoting recovery?

Needs of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) must be understood in order to promote recovery. This study examined the needs of 206 individuals with SMI and compared their perceptions with those of their professional caregivers. Needs were reported in the areas of accommodations, psychotic symptoms, daytime activity, intimate relationships, and psychological distress. Caregivers reported more met needs, while individuals themselves reported more unmet needs. Results suggest that in order to promote recovery, services for persons with SMI should be developed in accordance with patients' most prominent needs, specifically in the social and personal areas of intimate and sexual relationships.