Mental Health and Social Work: Influences on the Historical Development of Mental Health Law - Essay Example

Mental health and social work BY YOU YOUR SCHOOL INFO HERE HERE Session 3 Discuss the major influences on the historical development of mental health law and policy. The influence of 17th Century reasoning played a large role in current mental health law and policy. It was during this time where it became understood that many problems associated with mental disorders were a product of biology. This, therefore, created a new type of treatment involving inherent factors in the patient. As the world become more sophisticated and knowledgeable about mental disorders, the Mental Health Act of 1983 set new limitations on the human treatment of patients and brought about a positive change with the use of a social worker who maintained the skills necessary to identify the root causes of mental disorders. It showed an increase in wisdom and scientific knowledge about treatment options and diagnoses. 2. Critically evaluate trends in current law and policy. It is the non-discriminatory trends in current law, such as the Mental Health National Service Framework, that has positively changed the nature of mental health treatment. It shows a societal change in which there is more knowledge about the root causes of mental disorders and provides a non-prejudicial environment to support mental health treatment and the rights of the individual suffering these diseases. The most distinct differences in current policy is the ability of multiple agencies and caregivers to work inter-dependently in order to ensure that fair diagnoses are provided as well as fair and impartial treatment; as well as access to mental health services. The current laws show distinctly how society is evolving in a way that supports proper care and non-discrimination which is necessary for effective treatment. 3. In your own words, prepare a discussion on the major themes in the government guidance, (Modernizing the Care Programmed Approach) and its implications for practice. It is again, the lack of social exclusion, that is most effective in the new government guidance pertaining to the Modernizing Care Programmed Approach. The government recognizes its own limitations in current policy as well as those facilities coordinated to improve mental health care, which shows that the government is realistic about mental health conditions and wishes to improve through the development of appropriate policy and funding. The government’s recognition of suicide, as one example, associated commonly with mental health is also afforded new opportunities with 24-hour access to mental health providers and systems. This has given the government a much more visible and concerned presence that furthers the approaches taken to help people facing a variety of mental health problems. The implications for practice are improved funding, more resources, and an inter-dependent system of care professionals with varying and diverse backgrounds and skills levels. 4. Present a brief discussion on the tension between (care and control) in current legislation and guidance. Some of the tensions are created by media portrayal of mental health that complicates new government actions associated with proper mental health care. Media is a significant barrier when misconceptions run high about mental health patients that can provide the NHS and other facilities negative publicity. There also seems to be a disconnect between proper diagnoses and the government’s view of risk assessment. There is not a single model that drives risk assessment, especially considering how many agencies are involved in today’s risk analysis process, that creates tension between government, the patient and the caregiver. There is far too much bureaucracy in risk analysis that conflicts rapid response to mental health patients. Session 4 1. Identify and discuss the major influences on the development of Community Mental Health Teams. Hospital closures were a significant influence that required a restructuring of systems designed to provide care. It brought mental health back to the community level and changed the dimensions of risk analysis and proper care. These closures led to new interdependency between social care systems and mental health systems that enhanced risk analysis and also treatment options and funding. The new multi-disciplinary systems also influenced the development of these teams with the establishment of care trusts and also new management systems with much better oversight. The importance of counselling and social workers was also an influence on these teams that were directly related to patient well-being and ensuring proper diagnoses. 2. Describe the political, organizational and professional issues, which impact on the effectiveness of multi-disciplinary teams in delivering services to people with mental health problems. The diversity involved in today’s mental health treatment is one positive benefit to the current policy and law. These include nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and certain community support workers trained appropriately to provide assistance. The issue, at the professional and organizational level, is to determine how best to structure their role in providing health care in a way that is meaningful for the patient and the broader community. Ensuring they are managed properly impacts how multi-disciplinary teams deliver their services. The role each should take is also a political issue considering funding and law is derived at this level. 3. Briefly discuss the role of social workers in multi-disciplinary teams. Social workers determine issues of quality of life when making determinations about the stability of patients or the direction that treatment should take. They are non-judgmental and must take an impartial view when assessing patient needs. They have a voice to challenge certain policies and must remain non-discriminatory in all of their dealings with the community. 4. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of abandoning discrete professions and creating (generic) mental health workers. The advantage is the development of care trusts in order to maximize the professional management of health care. The new recruiting methodology provides a new type of talent equipped with modernized viewpoints. The disadvantage lies in the government’s very in-depth role in determining new direction, therefore lobbying action can take time that does not serve the patient well. Session 5 1. Describe some of the physical, psychological and social interventions in mental health. Physical treatments – Largely medication but also a blend of psychosurgery techniques. Psychotherapeutic – Involve the family in treatment as well as creative therapy at the psychological level. Social interventions – Takes into consideration life issues that impact mental stability, such as the professional environment and family. Usually through a social worker system. 2. Explain the effectiveness and availability of different forms of treatment and intervention. Medication has the ability to give a quick response at the biological level, whilst other treatment options such as psychotherapy is often a long process at gaining in providing effective treatment. The advantage is that medication is readily available in most NHS-sponsored organizations and therefore provides an effective treatment so long as the diagnoses are correct. However, medicine can have long-term debilitating effects such as loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, and diminished concentration. ECT is another common treatment used for those with mental health problems with schizophrenia. Though not widespread for use, it can lead to long-term problems with memory and should be assessed properly before use. 3. Explain the concept of social role valorisation and discuss its advantages and disadvantages in delivering services to people with mental health problems. Social role valorisation works against the labelling and discrimination of people with mental health conditions. It identifies the different social systems that provide a discriminatory reaction to people based on misconceptions that might exist in media or the general public. The systems driving social role valorisation identify people’s strengths and weaknesses to help them attain their goals and aspirations. Relationships are developed through it to help with employment and other factors important for a stable lifestyle. The disadvantage is that public attitudes about mental health are inherent or long-standing and are difficult to change without a conscious effort on the behalf of the community. 4. Discuss the challenges posed by Social Role Valorisation for work with service users, the organization of mental health services and the wider community. The continuing influence of the media that stigmatizes the mental health patient is a significant barrier to providing effective health care. Community misconceptions and prejudices also exist that continue to cause problems with unemployment or simply motivating individuals with mental health conditions to live a stable and adjusted life. This might manifest itself in depression that only serves to complicate proper health care. There are also barriers with the proper use of budgets in order to provide systems better suited to help patients that is reflected by a poorly coordinated management system. Training is another significant barrier related to costs and labour. Session 6 1. Briefly discuss the development of the service user movement in Britain. Diversity of different needs occurring during Margaret Thatcher’s reign as Prime Minister led to the development of different service user advocacy groups. Consumerism and the influence of international patient councils led to the development of this movement that now includes anti-psychiatry groups and survivors’ groups. It shows a fundamental shift in social attitude regarding the nature of mental health. 2. Discuss the focus on service user and career participation in government guidance and describe its effectiveness in practice. There are challenges as it relates to government guidance, especially in terms of funding when it is seen to conflict with the goals of organizations such as the NHS. However, such advocacy groups such as anti-psychiatry, Mad Pride and survivors’ groups continue to change the public perception of mental illness and therefore have positive benefits at the community level. Career participation in government guidance has mixed results, with some looking toward government intervention as a step toward more positive consulting between government and the service user concept whilst others see this as an agenda to attempt to redefine the concept of advocacy for mental health treatment and associated support groups. 3. Describe some of the different forms of advocacy for people with mental health problems. There is citizen advocacy where citizens are matched with patients with distinct. At the governmental level, there is the Patient Advocacy and Liaison Service, a government funded advocacy service implemented in British hospitals. Another advocacy group is the National Schizophrenia Fellowship and the Manic Depressive Fellowship that has a high career representation. These service the unique needs of specific mental health conditions. 4. Discuss the effectiveness of social workers as advocates. Social workers are sometimes limited to providing advocacy in the situation involving child care services when a service worker cannot care for their child effectively. This reduces overall effectiveness of social workers in the advocacy role. However, there is intervention available with benefits agencies for the service user. When it has been identified that a mental health patient sustains severe manic depression, the social worker can work directly with banking systems or credit card companies on behalf of the service user. This provides financially-based assistance during this period of mental health crisis. Further, there are more limitations if the service user lodges a formal complaint against the social worker’s team and therefore cannot be an effective advocate. The restrictions imposed define effectiveness in some key areas. Session 7 1. In your own words, summarize the major learning points from the whole of the study programmed with particular references to stakeholders and their influence, understanding models of mental ill health, mental health policy and legislation, social work in community mental health teams, treatments and interventions, and service user participation. Stakeholders in the treatment of mental health problems or the development of key advocacy groups are vital to securing a positive community change in attitude and promoting non-discriminatory behaviours against the mentally ill. It has been established that there is a problem changing social attitudes, especially when media works against these efforts due to long-standing misconceptions, therefore key community-level stakeholders can provide significant value to enhancing and improving current policy and law. When they lobby the government with change needs, they are promoting a new attitude in the social environment that can help people with these stigmas to gain better employment and overall live a more well-adjusted lifestyle. Models of mental health are enhanced by ongoing governmental support and funding, however the methodology seems to create many different conflicts of interest between social workers, community mental health teams, and efforts of social role valorisation for non-discrimination. There seems to be a level of uncertainty about how to effectively manage this new inter-dependent system of caregiving that is challenged by government influence and even social attitudes. The consultation between social worker, government and advocacy systems is challenged often that can limit social worker and service user efficiency. Models of mental health used, such as medicine and ECT, have significant advantages as disadvantages depending on the patient and their individualized needs. However, mental health policy and regulations continue to cause problems with identifying the appropriate type of talent needed to sustain positive mental health conditions with the general public. Aubrey, Flynn, Gerber & Dostaler (2005) identify a series of studies conducted to identify the key learning and skills development traits needed to promote an effective mental health treatment programme. Some of these competencies included family service knowledge, empowerment, rehabilitation, and even psychiatric evaluation skills (Aubrey, et al.). The findings of these studies indicated that such skills cannot be achieved at the community level in order to guarantee an effective treatment system. The implications are that community-level advocacy groups may not be able to provide the necessary skills required to promote a more balanced and well-coordinated mental health system. Thus, the long-lasting positive impact of advocacy groups as stakeholders in this process might be insignificant over the long-term without specialized training in key competencies. A theory known as social constructionism identifies key inherent factors at the biological level such as gender, sexuality, and race that are important lifestyle elements leading to behaviour changes or generalized personality. Stienstra & Chochinov (2006) identify that the value and meaning of these social constructions absolutely change over time and through experience therefore they do not remain static. This has significant implications for the social worker in mental health teams considering the role of government in the NHS is questioned as it seems there is the conception that government has its own agenda to try to limit service users and advocacy groups. It is the social worker that best understands social needs and constructions, which is why they are often given the right to advocacy in banking and other financial matters for those who are manic depressives. Government does not change rapidly, but the social worker is always having direct experience with their clients so they are more flexible. Service user participation has mixed results and efficiency based on attitudes about their viability from government and other mental health teams. However, since many sit on management committees, they can challenge these perceptions about their role in mental health or the NHS. When they receive funding from Mental Health Trusts, they gain more credibility and knowledge that should be trusted by government and the social worker systems. 2. With references to your own learning, summarize how you will be able to utilize these theories when working in an everyday situation. Childhood psychological problems cost $2.1 trillion pounds each year as a catalyst for adults seeking mental health treatment (Psychology & Psychiatry Journal, 2011). One characteristic of the current mental health care system and its many inter-dependent systems that is missing is a focus on preventing youth problems psychologically to avoid these high costs for funding from multiple government and statutory systems. Social workers in this situation are vital in the family structure. This is why the social worker is able to take the role of patient advocate especially in matters of finance in the face of severe manic depressive behaviour for their clients. Personally, this information can be used to understand the changing role of social worker within and outside of the NHS as it related to child welfare and not just adult interventions. Government funding, as illustrated by the coursework, is questioned often with perceptions of the NHS being an agenda-minded system that erodes social worker and service user efficiency when they attempt to depart from government interaction in mental health. With this knowledge in mind, in everyday life it is necessary to understand the root of what drives mental health problems and recognize that some of these factors might stem from early childhood traumas or other scenarios. At the same time, community-level advocates assist in bridging the gap between knowledge and providing compassionate care. Therefore, in everyday life, support for the advocacy groups as part of a personal lifestyle mission is an effective method of being a more active stakeholder in changing social attitudes about mental illness. Since the social worker cannot always be an advocate for a service user when dealing with children who cannot be cared for, it is good practice to personally support non-government-supported advocacy groups who can independently offer a different type of resource for those facing mental illness. It is not just the NHS that is vital to helping people in need. Theories associated with social role valorisation are there to avoid the discrimination against people facing difficult mental illness problems or depression. Remembering that $2.1 Trillion pounds is a massive total means that it affects so many more than people realize. In everyday life, being a social advocate for changing attitudes about the problem is a good method of reducing discrimination and also lobbying government for change when appropriate. Media portrayal of mental health patients continues to erode the effectiveness of the NHS and reinforce discrimination against the mentally ill. In everyday life, understanding media influence and using resources to combat this discrimination follows the letter of the law and the generalized role of the social worker. Being a part of a service user system is another method of improving visibility in producing more effective health care for the mentally ill. Hotlines or other support networks require volunteers especially when they cannot gain proper funding from governmental sources and therefore allow for a more active stakeholder role. Understanding the different sources of funding available for these service users is another method of taking my personal knowledge to assist in gaining alternative funding from secondary sources outside of the government or the NHS. Most notable are the different therapeutic theories that help to understand the dimensions of those in need of mental health services, such as psychotherapeutic that involve family-oriented interventions. It is necessary to understand the dynamics of the family structure in order to provide adequate support for people with mental illnesses since some of these problems stem from early childhood or just in the familial structure. The NHS was designed to assist with funding, which is best practice as is with social workers, however the approach to therapy is part of learning everyday to identify catalysts for what causes mental problems. The outcomes of learning are how to involve others in the process of care without necessarily having to rely on the NHS for integrity and treatment approach options. The long-term benefit of this learning on theory is the ability to consider many approaches that will have social value for those in need and understanding the psychology of mental illness. References Aubrey, T., Flynn, R., Gerber, G. & Dostaler, T. (2005), Identifying the core competencies of community support providers working with people with psychiatric disabilities, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal. Vol.28, no.4, pp.346-353. Psychology & Psychiatry Journal. (2011), Mental health, childhood psychological problems have long-term economic and social impact, study finds, April 16, p.57. Stienstra, D. & H. Chochinov. (2006), Vulnerability, disability and palliative end-of-life care, Journal of Palliative Care, vol.22, no.3, pp.166-174. Read More