Recovery Insights Lab · Research direction

Community reintegration

What helps people return to the roles and communities that make life meaningful?

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The research question

Recovery may improve clinically—but what has to be in place for someone to return to work, family roles, independence, recreation, and community life?

A service can exist and still be out of reach because of transportation, cost, eligibility, accessibility, timing, information, or lack of coordination.

This work starts with the survivor’s goal, maps the supports that goal requires, and asks whether those supports are available, reachable, and actually useful.

Research model

Start with the life goal—then map what makes it possible

The visual places survivor-defined participation goals at the center and shows the supports and access conditions that determine whether returning to meaningful roles is actually possible.

Community reintegration research model A visual model placing survivor-defined life goals at the center and examining the supports, access barriers and community opportunities required for meaningful participation. Family roles parenting · caregiving Relationships & social connection Accessible opportunities can I actually join? Transportation reach the opportunity Independence & daily life Community participation belonging · contribution Recreation & hobbies meaning · enjoyment Work & school roles · purpose WHAT DOES RETURNING TO LIFE MEAN TO YOU? Start with the goal — then map what makes it possible OUR APPROACH DEFINE Start with the survivor goal MAP Identify supports the goal requires CHECK ACCESS Available ≠ reachable FIND GAPS Cost, geography, eligibility, access ACT Prioritize changes with partners KEY DELIVERABLES Goal-to-support map Service & access matrix Priority-gap map Partner action brief
A service can exist and still be out of reach. Reintegration depends on whether support connects to a real goal and can actually be used.

Contribute to this work

Recovery Insights Lab brings together lived experience, clinical knowledge, and community expertise. We welcome people and organizations who can help make this work more useful and grounded.

Survivors & families

Tell us what you were trying to return to

Share the role, activity, or part of life that mattered—and what helped or stood in the way.

Clinicians & rehabilitation programs

Help connect clinical recovery with community life

Partner on identifying participation goals, needed supports, and the gaps patients encounter after leaving formal care.

Community organizations

Help map what is truly available and reachable

Share services, eligibility, geography, accessibility, capacity, and barriers—not simply whether a program exists.

What this work will produce

A practical map from survivor goals to reachable support

A goal-to-support and service-gap framework showing what survivors are trying to return to, which supports are needed, what is actually accessible, and where partners can prioritize practical change.

Explore related research questions

Survivor-defined recovery outcomes Needs after discharge Information and navigation