Social Support, Social Networks, Community Integration, and Recovery for People with Serious Mental Illness or Substance Use Disorders

Dear Colleagues,

People with serious mental illness (SMI) or substance use disorders (SUDs) frequently see their social networks and community support disappear, which adversely affects their health outcomes and lifespan. People with SMI often face stigmatization and, consequently, community exclusion, leading to an over-reliance on mental health services and distancing them from the lives that they desire. Enhancing community integration, encompassing access to housing, employment, primary healthcare, and other essential community resources, is critical in improving quality of life and life expectancy for this population. Recovery-orientated interventions, such as peer support, have played a significant role in promoting community integration by fostering essential social relationships and networks. Unfortunately, indicators such as unemployment rates among those who want to work, housing stability, income levels, poverty, life expectancy, quality of life, access to healthcare systems, and other social determinants reveal that people with SMI or SUDs are far from achieving full integration into their communities. This Special Issue will be dedicated to publishing research, editorial opinions, and service descriptions aiming to advance strategies, services, methodology, and interventions supporting people with SMI or SUDs in becoming meaningful and fully integrated community members. By prioritizing community integration, we can help these individuals lead fulfilling lives within the communities that they aspire to be part of.

Dr. Mark Costa
Dr. Megan Evans
Guest Editors

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