Identification and implementation of evidence-based practices should not prevent innovation or the development of new practices. Many practices employed in the public mental health system have not yet been well researched. This does not mean that they aren't effective; in many cases, they simply have not attracted the attention of researchers or they do not easily conform to traditional research methodologies.  Researchers, providers, and practitioners should be encouraged to continue to develop new methods to serve people with mental illness who enter the system. Incentives for this activity should include an emphasis on outcomes in funding and contracting structures used for community services. Reliance on performance measures that emphasize recovery and improvement in a person's quality of life can lead to development of practices geared towards these outcomes. Providers should incorporate innovative approaches and methods expected to achieve good outcomes, paired with appropriate evaluation methods, into the practices employed by their agencies.