Recovery Journey Project

The Recovery Journey Project

The Recovery Journey Project is a multi-year research study designed to improve our understanding of the recovery process for people receiving mental health and addiction treatment. Led by Homewood Research Institute (HRI), data collection for the study began in 2015 and was completed in 2022. It has been one of very few longitudinal studies in Canada measuring key indicators of recovery over time.

Although data collection is now complete, the Recovery Journey Project has generated valuable new knowledge about the recovery experience. Findings will continue to be shared widely to inform improvements to treatment, to aftercare, and to the way we monitor and evaluate treatment quality and effectiveness in Canada.

The Recovery Journey Project has five key features:

Recovery Questionnaires

Brief, self-administered, web-based questionnaires measuring various indicators of recovery (e.g., mental health, substance use, life functioning, health services use, overall quality of life, etc.) at one, three, six and twelve months post-treatment.

E-Data Collection

The Recovery Journey Project uses an automated email system to distribute Recovery Questionnaires. Electronic data (E-Data) collection via online survey software, is used to receive questionnaire responses in order to optimize efficiency, privacy and data quality.

Recovery Check-Ups

At each follow-up time point, individuals assess their perceived need for further mental health and/or addictions services and are provided with information on how to access services available in their area.

Data Storage, Management and Analysis

Data are stored in Canada on a secured server. Dedicated HRI staff actively manage incoming data to ensure data integrity, quality, and consistency in documentation, cleaning, and analysis procedures.

Knowledge Translation Activities

Research findings are summarized in reports, infographics and presentations that can be shared with a variety of audiences (e.g., participants, treatment providers, researchers, the general public, etc.)

The Recovery Questionnaire

To look at changes in recovery outcomes over time, we collected and analyzed data from participants who agreed to complete questionnaires at one, three, six, and twelve months post-discharge. The 20-minute questionnaires asked participants about various indicators of recovery, including:

• Mental health

• Substance use

• Confidence to remain abstinent

• Cravings

• Environmental risks and social supports

• Aftercare involvement

• Physical health and activity

• Spirituality

• Social functioning

• Occupational functioning

• Health services use

• Quality of life and life satisfaction

History of the Project

The Recovery Journey Project, originally called Post-Discharge Outcomes (PDO) Monitoring, was launched in the Addiction Medicine Program (AMP, formerly known as the Addiction Medicine Service) at Homewood Health Centre in 2015. Over time, the scope of the monitoring system evolved, and we upgraded recovery measures, data collection procedures, analyses, and reporting practices to establish the full-scale research study. The study was eventually implemented as part of daily practice in both the AMP and The Residence at Homewood (2018).