Recovery-orientation as the guiding principle of mental health policy is reshaping our scientific and clinical responsibilities. In contrast to a deficit model of mental illness recovery-orientation includes a focus on health promotion, individual strengths, and resilience. Patient self-determination, individual choice of flexible support in the community and opportunities, interventions to promote empowerment and hope also in the long-term are new indicators of quality of services. New tools and new rules for a partnership approach emerge allowing to tap the full potential of diverse experiences and forms of evidence. Cooperations outside therapeutic relationships concern participatory and user-led engagement in service development and evaluation as well as in mental health research. Recovery shares central elements and goals with those of human rights, particularly the UN-Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which specifically includes persons with disabilities from mental health problems.