WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT SOCIAL WORK IN A MENTAL HEALTH SETTING?

1. Social Work in Mental Health SettingsMendocino College HUS 170 – Intro to Social WorkPrepared by Alese Jenkins, LCSW – March 2013

2. WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT SOCIAL WORK IN A MENTAL HEALTH SETTING? • Social Work is a secondary function in the Mental Health setting (as is social work in a medical setting, educational setting or criminal justice setting) • The primary goal of the Mental Health setting is to help stabilize the individual’s mental and emotional health.

3. Social work goals/values in the Mental Health Setting • Respect the dignity of the client • Respect a client’s right to self determination, when appropriate • Advocate on behalf of client/teach client self-advocacy skills • Maintain confidentiality • Help empower clients • Encourage independence when possible • Work in harmony with team/institution • Be culturally sensitive see page 198 in text NASW recommendations for working with mental health clients

4. What Special knowledge is needed to work in the mental health system? • Understand mental health disorders and become familiar with the DSM-IV-TR • Understand mental health hospital and clinical settings, treatment options and therapeutic techniques • Be familiar with in-patient and out-patient programs • Understand the role of each member of the mental health team • Understand discharge planning and become familiar with community resources

5. Who is on the typical Mental Health Team? • Psychiatrist • A doctor of medicine (MD) who can diagnose mental disorders and prescribe medication

6. Who is on the typical Mental Health Team? • Psychologist • A licensed PHD who can administer psychometric tests, diagnose mental disorders and offer psychotherapy

7. Who is on the typical Mental Health Team? • Psychiatric Nurse • Administers, manages and monitors medications and educates patients and family about medications, side effects and other health related concerns

8. Who is on the typical Mental Health Team? • Social Worker • Most often an MSW or LCSW. Gathers info for assessment, provides individual and group therapeutic services, develops a treatment plan, case management, advocacy, discharge planning and referral to community resources

9. WHAT IS A MENTAL DISORDER? • Impaired or dysfunctional cognitive or behavioral patterns that occur in individuals that cause suffering, pain or some level of disability From: Suppes and Wells “The Social Work Experience: An Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare”

10. What affects the mental health of an individual?

11. What affects the mental health of an individual? • Biological Factors • Heredity • Physical Trauma, Brain Injury • Substance Abuse • Infections • Congenital Defects • Malnutrition in early childhood • Chronic disease • Brain chemistry • Menopause/hormonal changes

12. What affects the mental health of an individual? • Psychological Factors • Childhood Trauma, such as emotional, physical, sexual abuse • Childhood Neglect • An important loss in life • Trauma, at other stages of life

13. What affects the mental health of an individual? • Environmental Factors • Crisis (exposure to natural disasters, etc) • Lack of health care • Poverty • Chronic unemployment • Stressful life experiences • Loss • Major life changes

14. Some common mental health disorders: • Dysthymia • Major Depressive Disorder • Generalized Anxiety Disorder • Bipolar Disorders • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder • Schizophrenia • Conduct Disorder • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

15. The DSM IV-TR • A manual that is a system of classifications of mental disorders • Diagnosis is determined by behavioral patterns that cause suffering and disability