Social Work Perspective within a Mental Health Role - Essay Example

? Social work perspective within a Mental Health Role Introduction This report will present a visionary perspective on thecontribution of social work in mental health services. The visionary outlook will be developed from an analysis of the current roles of social workers, as well as the changing opportunities available to the social work guided role play in the practice of community-based mental health service delivery. The tasks and roles of social workers in the area of mental health are continually defined by statutory duties and legislation. However, it can also be employed in the course of social inclusion and renewing the outlook of care, in primary care and public health (Tew, 2008). The evolution of social work as a profession and a discipline has occurred in the fabric of interest groups and organizational networks. Recently, the span of social work has expanded to cover service user-led practice. Development in the context of modern service delivery The 21st century is an age of major changes, in the areas covered by the delivery of mental health services within the society. The changes have led to rivalry, between social and health care, where mental health social work has exited to integrate mental health care trusts. There has also been an emphasis on the staffing levels available at mental health institutions, which has led to the development of new classes of workers. These classes include the support, graduate primary care staffs, time and recovery staffs and the community development staffs working with minority groups. The multi-disciplinary work outlooks have also triggered talks on the changing roles of different professions. Additionally, the reform of the Mental Health Act of 1983 was put under extensive debate and consultations, in the light of upcoming bills, since the year 2000. Underlying the different developments, there is a major change in the understanding developed around, where and how to address the issues of mental health patients. For instance, there is a shift from the outlook that mental health patients were restricted to long-stay residential facilities or hospitals; to a case where mental health issues are addressed as a social issue, just like a medical one (Burdekin, 1989). Taking the changing social outlook into account, there is the opportunity for social workers, to articulate and actualize their contribution to the delivery of mental health care. For example, social work can increase the guidance of mental health patients, to ensure faster and easier long-term recovery. Following the changes, more attention has been focused towards the interdisciplinary nature of mental health services; professionals are realizing the shared skills, knowledge and values that depict the fluidity of the boundaries between social and health care. The contribution of social workers in mental health care teams The objective of social care is offering support to the people suffering from mental distress – across all ages – has been acknowledged. The support offered in employment and housing, community and family, as well as that of daycare workers are much-appreciated aspects of the services, by the users of the services (Bland & Renouf, 2001). The support staffs take an important role in improving the social inclusion experienced by the users. Particularly, in the field of mental health issues management, social workers are likely to explore the causes of mental health, from a wider scope, than traditional medical personnel would. For example, a social worker is likely to diagnose the personal triggers of mental-health problems, and then find some or lack any evidence. However, instead of addressing the issues at that point, they are likely to explore the family of the victim and in the case that they cannot address the problem at that level, they can move ahead to explore the social fabric of the society (AASW, 2008). Sustaining emotional, mental and social well-being is a crucial undertaking for social workers, when working with different groups of people. These groups can include those suffering from alcohol and drug addiction; parents, caregivers and children; adolescents, prisoners, those suffering from learning or physical disabilities, victims of traumatic injury, patients with dementia and older people (Renouf & Bland, 2005). This difference between adopting the traditional perspective and the social work perspective, include that they are more likely to explore the mental problems of different groups differently, which is likely to offer the solution to the modern society’s wide span of mental-health problems. Social workers are tasked with the role ensuring that the families, communities or individuals are addressed in a holistic manner. From the adoption of such an outlook, social work perspective will yield another information, which can be helpful in ensuring that such mental problems will not recur in the patients, or members of the same group. For example, tension in family relations is likely to affect the mental well-being of one family member, but addressing the particular problem may not expose the core of the problem (Bland, Renouf & Tullgren, 2009). As a result, the problems are likely to recur, while the situation may have been addressed, and the recurrence of the situation evaded. This responsibility requires them to bridge organizational boundaries, and to explore the relationships between control and care. Unlike medical among other professions, social work is many times a mature field, where many entrants go through other careers before practicing. Many entrants will come from education, social and healthcare, among other areas in the service and industrial sectors. The diverse exposure available to social workers allows them to offer an important contribution in enhancing the multidisciplinary outlook of service delivery, and in improving social inclusion. With the aim and experience of causing change among groups, persons and wider social environment levels, social workers can help in changing the culture of teams, towards becoming those focused on meeting the needs of carers and the users of the service (Jacobson & Greenley, 2001). Social work training and education have emphasized on the provision of their personnel, with the skills needed to develop favorable relationships with the victims of a psycho-social crisis; to lessen the tension arising from control and care provision, and viewing the individual as a member of the community. They hold the understanding and the knowledge about individual development as well as viewing the society in a systematic manner, and the inequalities that can arise, when reaching complex assessments (Petrila & Sadoff, 1992). This shows that from a social work perspective, care givers can address the personal issues leading to the development of mental-health problems, as well as explore and address the social issues that contribute to the same. Social workers can introduce the outlook of addressing the contra-indicators of mental health, which are likely to be a part of the larger societal fabric. For this reason, unlike medical personnel, they can complement the work of mainstream medical practice, to identify societal factors that increase the vulnerability of the members of society (Rapp & Goscha, 2012). Examples of these contra-indicators of mental health, which may be explored by social workers, and addressed for the long-term benefits of patients, include insecure housing and poverty, among others. This case shows that adopting a social work perspective can work like an important source of information for public and community development. Apart from addressing the problems of the individuals identified as suffering from mental health issues, a social work perspective will improve the care program administered to patients. For example, social workers hold better knowledge in the areas of risk management, containment and the management of the people that suffer from, mental distress. From past research studies, it has been exposed that people suffering from mental health issues like distress, will often value the social worker, because they allow them to clarify and discuss the fears and the worries affecting them (Chamberlain, Johnson & Theobold, 2007). Following the discussion, it becomes easier for the mentally ill or disturbed patients to participate in the examination of ways of overcoming the problems. This shows that the adoption of a social work perspective will allow for a more detailed exploration of mental health issues, which will give the patients, the skills and the information they will need in the future, to address similar problems (Department of Health & Ageing, 2010). The health personnel working with individuals suffering from mental health can enhance the success of their work, through adopting the social work perspective. The improvements can include that the users of mental health services can benefit by gaining a confiding relationship, where they can be heard and understood (Leff & Warner, 2006). The benefits of the new perspective include that the users of these services will expand their knowledge of dealing with similar and other life issue. This takes place through the improvement of their self-esteem, which will reflect in their employment, leisure and in their overall sense of control of their personal lives. The users of the services will also benefit, through the relations with medical personnel that have adopted the social work perspective. The benefits include that the critical thinking, assessment skills and the problem-solving skills are impacted by those of the social workers. The results of such a care system, will include that the patient, will recover from the mental-health problems being addressed, but will also develop important life skills, which are likely to enhance the other aspects of their lives. Further, the adoption of a social work perspective will yield benefits to both parties – the patient and the personnel administering the service (Lester & Glasby, 2006). Conclusion This report presents a visionary outlook on the contribution of social workers, in administering mental health services. From an analysis of the current roles of social workers and the changing outlook of mental health care service delivery, the services of social workers are becoming more important. Some of the paradigm shifts include that patient with mental-health problems are viewed like a social issue, just like medical issues. The areas of contribution for the participation of social workers, in the care of individuals suffering from mental health issues include that they are more specialized in caring for patients of all ages, and are likely to cultivate social inclusion in all situations. Other contributions of a social work perspective in caring for mentally ill individuals include that they explore society-wide, family issues that may be contributors in the development of the mental health issues. The different contributions of social workers show that, including the services of social workers introduces a multidisciplinary outlook to care delivery, and expands the scope of care. 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