Illness management and recovery groups: implementation experiences in Israel and North Carolina

A recent development in psychiatric rehabilitation is the identification and standardization of evidence-based practices (EBP). In this article we report on the implementation of one of the EBPs, Illness Management and Recovery (IMR), in a group format in two settings and cultures, Israel and the United States (North Carolina) to address generic issues of implementation that arise across settings. The unique characteristics of the group format, ways in which they can be both enriching and challenging, and the importance of considering local cultural influences when using a standardized EBP are discussed.