PROS (Personalized Recovery-Oriented Services) is a new outpatient program designed by the New York State Office of Mental Health to promote recovery from serious mental illness. Each participant develops an Individual Recovery Plan (IRP) which includes his/her life goals (vocational, educational, social and relationship, independent living) and the barriers that they need to overcome to achieve them. PROS services are designed specifically to assist participants in overcoming the identified barriers. Services include: a variety of groups in which participants learn about mental illness and wellness (how to get well and stay well); that teach basic living skills for independence, a range of pre-vocational and vocational services, medication prescription and monitoring, and health integration services that address participants' physical health needs and conditions. Each participant has an individual service coordinator with whom he/she develops, monitors and updates his/her IRP.

Since The Bridge had already been offering many of the evidence-based services at are the heart of PROS, introducing the program at the agency felt like a natural evolution of the work we've been doing for many years. The program, offered weekdays from 8 AM to 5 PM, will serve more than 225 clients. There are 34 staff members, including social workers, vocational specialists, psychiatrist, nurse and nurse practitioners.