United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association

The largest professional organization in the area of practice of psychiatric rehabilitation (or psychosocial rehabilitation) in the United States is the United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA), formerly known as the International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services (IAPSRS). Founded in 1974 by the Directors of the original thirteen psychosocial rehabilitation centers in the United States.USPRA works together with agencies, practitioners, families and persons living with psychiatric disabilities, leaders in psychiatric rehabilitation education and research from major universities across the United States and the world, as well as state and federal government entities dedicated to improving outcomes in the cost-effective, evidenced-based recovery model involved in treating persons with psychiatric disabilities.

Organization Purpose
The founders of the original IAPSRS envisioned an international association that would promote and provide optimistic strengths-based and community-based services for persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses. They deeply believed that an association was needed to share successful Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services (PSR) or Psychiatric Rehabilitation (PsyR) methods, and advocate for the public funding of rehabilitation. The United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, Inc. is a nonprofit organization of psychosocial rehabilitation agencies, practitioners, and interested organizations and individuals dedicated to promoting, supporting and strengthening community-oriented rehabilitation services and resources for persons with psychiatric disabilities.== References == [1]Pratt, C., Gill,K., Barett,N., Roberts, M., (2002) Psychiatric Rehabilitation

The primary purposes of the association are to promote and support the development of community-oriented psychosocial rehabilitation programs for persons with psychiatric disabilities; to promote the concept and role of community-oriented psychosocial rehabilitation as a primary programmatic modality in provision of mental health services; to support and facilitate the formation and operation of inter-member cooperative research studies and evaluations of the needs, methods, and effectiveness of community-oriented psychosocial rehabilitation; To serve as a vehicle for professional communication, increased understanding, and research utilization through the development of newsletters, journals, conferences, and-or other similar mechanisms for technology transfer; to exercise leadership and otherwise encourage the development of improved concepts, methods, and practices associated with serving the needs of persons with psychiatric disabilities and the training of personnel involved in such activities; to encourage and facilitate improved coordination and continuity of services provided to persons with psychiatric disabilities, especially with regard to linkages between mental hospitals, mental health centers, and community-based psychosocial rehabilitation facilities; and to exercise leadership in informing the public and policy makers of the problems and needs of persons with psychiatric disabilities, and to encourage and conduct public education programs and/or other functions on behalf of that group. It is the vision of the United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA) to be the preeminent source of training, advocacy and new technologies to help advance the role, scope, and quality of services designed to facilitate the community readjustment of people with psychiatric disabilities.

Certification
USPRAs’ purpose for the Certification of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP)is to foster the growth of a qualified, ethical, and culturally diverse psychiatric rehabilitation workforce through a test-based certification program and enforcement of a practitioner code of ethics. The CPRP credential is recognized in twelve states in the US by regulations defining and-or qualifying mental health practitioners such as; Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and active in lobbying for legislation in other states.