1 ARE WE RECOVERY ORIENTATED? LEARNING FROM PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE Presenters: Michael Stylianou & Melissa Petrakis Authors: Liam Buckley (Consumer Consultant, St Vincent’s Mental Health); Nadine Cocks (Consumer Consultant, Mind Australia); Matthew Scott (Consumer Consultant, St Vincent’s Mental Health); Michael Stylianou (Consumer Consultant, Mind Australia); Dr Lisa Brophy (Director Of Research, Mind Australia And Senior Research Fellow, Centre For Population Health, Policy And Economics, University Of Melbourne); Jayne Lewis (Project Officer, St Vincent’s Mental Health); Kieran Halloran (Group Operations Manager - Packaged Services, Mind Australia); Dr Melissa Petrakis (Senior Research Fellow, St Vincent’s Mental Health And Lecturer, Department Of Social Work, Faculty Of Medicine, Nursing And Health Sciences, Monash University), Melbourne, Australia ABSTRACT Background: Over the last two years St Vincent's Mental Health and Mind Australia in Melbourne have collaborated to deliver an innovative service to support people with severe and enduring symptoms of mental illness and complex needs, the Adult Mental Health Reform Initiatives (AMHRI). Aims: To describe a process evaluation of the recovery orientation of the AMHRI, highlighting the value of Consumer Consultants as researchers to a project seeking to engage vulnerable and marginalised participants. Methods: The evaluation was consumer-led, with consumer consultants across both organisations instrumental in selecting the approach, instruments, negotiating consent with consumers, conducting interviews peer-to-peer, and collecting data and contributing to the analysis. Conclusions: Consumer researchers enhanced the process and outcomes. This has generated interest overseas, with the Consumer Consultants the first four authors (of eight) of a book chapter published in an international text in the United Kingdom in July. Correspondence: Dr Melissa Petrakis Senior Research Fellow in Early Psychosis and Mental Health, St Vincent's Mental Health Service, Hawthorn Community Mental Health Service, 642 Burwood Road, Hawthorn East, Australia 3123 and Lecturer, Department of Social Work Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Australia T: +613 9903-4497 Email: Melissa.Petrakis@svhm.org.au