Consumers and families as partners in implementing evidence-based practice

This article views evidence-based practice (EBP) through the lens of primary and potential users of the mental health system of care: individuals with psychiatric diagnoses and their families. The authors argue that there is great opportunity to move EBP forward by rethinking, rebuilding, and re-emphasizing consumers and their families as vital members of the EBP movement. An important step to achieve this goal is implementing a more flexible approach to research that includes a greater emphasis on action research involving consumers and families as active partners.