How to Asses Mental Illness Essays

How to Asses Mental Illness Essays How to Asses Mental Illness Paper How to Asses Mental Illness Paper The ability for patients to access mental health services these days are more wide ranging than ever before. This is in part due to the fact that the realm of mental health, once simply governed by physicians, is now peopled by staff of all different types and disciplines. In addition, many mental health professionals are now multiply credentialed, so it is not impossible to see a mental health professional who is all at once a family and marital therapist, a chemical dependency practitioner and a social worker. All these elements only serve to improve the ability of patients/clients to receive quality mental health services, whether it be in a large institutional setting, a community mental health center or in a private clinical office. But what are the different types of mental health professionals who are trained in the identification and treatment of patients with mental health issues? There are many, but for the matter of clarity and brevity, we will focus on just three. Licensed clinical social workers are one type of mental health professional who may be assigned a clinical case. These are individuals who have received graduate level training in the assessment and management of patients with mental illness. They may choose to specialize in a certain type of therapy, such as marital or family therapy or they may provide a more general practice. Clinical social workers are also found in the hospital setting, whether for psychiatric patients or medical patients and are experts in arranging for social services and referral to assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and other post hospitalization care. Advanced registry nurse practitioners are one of the newer types of clinicians in the mental health field. These are nurses who have taken graduate level education which allows them to perform diagnosis and treatment for patients. Many nurse practitioners (also called ARNPs) can prescribe medications for their patients, depending on the laws of the states where they live. ARNPs are also unique in that they can open up clinical practices of their own without having to work under the auspices or licensure of a practicing physician. ARNPs provide medication and counseling services, as well as crisis intervention services. ARNPs are also found frequently in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Another type of professional who may diagnose and treat a patient with mental health issues is a clinical psychologist. These are men and women who receive post-graduate education and receive a doctorate in psychology. Psychologists are often called â€Å"doctor† but the difference is that they are not allowed to prescribe medications. Psychologists are multifaceted, and are able to diagnose and treat patients with mental health issues, as well as perform and interpret psychological testing to held aid in the diagnosis of patients with personality or learning disorders. Psychologists are usually utilized in the outpatient setting, but it is not unheard of for them to work on an inpatient mental health unit as well. While all these different clinical backgrounds are able to assess patients for the presence of mental illness, the issues which they must consider are the same from patient to patient. Whether the patient is a self-referral, court mandated or identified by a family member, before a true clinical diagnosis can be made, a thorough mental health assessment must be made. This mental health assessment includes several key issues which must be answered. First, the clinician must know what the problem is which brought the patient in for evaluation in the first place. Does the patient feel sad, or depressed, or anxious? To what degree does the mood problem affect the patient’s day to day life? Are they able to go on about their daily business, or are they incapable of holding a job or caring for themselves or their families, because of the severity of the illness. Does the patient actually perceive there is a problem, or has the patient been referred by a medical provider, family member, or friend? The high coincidence of mental health problems and substance abuse makes it necessary for the mental health professional to assess if there is any drug or alcohol abuse issues here. How long has the patient had these symptoms, and are they getting worse, better, or staying the same. A family history is also important, especially as it pertains to issues of mental illness within the family, or a history of physical/sexual or emotional abuse. Above all, when any mental health professional is assessing a patient for mental illness, he or she must assess if the patient has any thoughts of hurting himself or anyone else. This is almost the most important question to be asked of any patient who is being assessed for mental health problems, and when answered in the positive, must be dealt with immediately. As we are discussing suicidal ideation, it is important for any clinician to understand who is at the greatest risk of self harm. There is a disparity in the rates of suicide between men and women, in that it is more likely for a woman to express thoughts of suicide and it is more likely for a man to actually commit suicide. In fact, men over age 45 are more than four times more likely than women to kill themselves as women in the same age (National Patient Safety Agency, 2001). An unemployed man is two to three times more likely to commit suicide. Suicide is also believed to account for 20 percent of all death in young people aged 15-24 and is second only to accidental death. The prevalence of substance abuse in this age group tends to be a contributing factor to suicide rates. The additional issues of academic pressure and relationship problems, as well as possible history of physical and sexual abuse are other risk factors. Interestingly, research has also shown that youngsters who know someone who commits suicide are more likely to commit suicide (Shaffi, et. al. 1985). While issues of race and likelihood to commit suicide have been studied, the pattern changes over geographic distribution. A study done in 1993 by Briget seemed to indicate that gay men and lesbians had higher rate of suicide and attempted suicide than the general population. And, as previously mentioned, research has shown that substance abuse is a significant risk factor for suicide and suicide attempts. One study estimated that among people who abuse drugs, the risk of suicide is twenty times greater than that of the general population (Faulkner, 1997) Any discussion about mental health in the 21st Century is sure to bring some in some element of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, commonly known as HIPAA. HIPAA is a federal health benefits law passed in 1996, effective July 1, 1997, which among other things, restricts pre-existing condition exclusion periods to ensure portability of health-care coverage between plans, group and individual; requires guaranteed issue and renewal of insurance coverage; prohibits plans from charging individuals higher premiums, co-payments, and/or deductibles based on health status. It also places strict limits on the type and amount of information which can be released about patients, and to whom the information can be given, and in what manner. While the privacy of patient care information is important, HIPAA can be a stumbling block to the care of patients. For example, should the patient refuse that any collateral information be obtained about his case from a family member or friend, the mental health professional is prohibited by law from making any contact with this person, even if the collateral information could be of help in the care and diagnosis of the patient. In addition, it makes it almost impossible for family members to make appointments or even ascertain that patients are getting care. Health care providers are given leeway in one manner, in that should a mental health patient make what is felt to be a credible threat against another person, the healthcare provider is then able to provide information about the threat to the person in the broadest possible terms, known as a â€Å"duty to warn†. Usually now, before a mental health professional takes on a case, he or she will have the patient sign a document explaining the patient’s rights and the clinician’s responsibilities under HIPAA. In this document, the clinician outlines most common reasons for which the clinician may have to release information about the patient’s care, such as coordinating care with another provider or even obtaining coverage information from the insurer. The patient is also generally advised that he or she may revoke all authorization at any time, but in turn the clinician may choose to discontinue treatment. In this way, both parties are protected. It should be noted, however, that HIPAA restrictions do not apply in cases where abuse is suspected, for clinical health oversight activities, for judicial reasons if evaluations are court ordered, and in cases where the care involves a workman’s compensation issue. The clinician must also provide to the patient a name and number of a person to who concerns about privacy violation may be addressed, and if all else fails, complaints may be made to the Department of Health and Human Services, the federal agency which oversees HIPAA. But should a mental health professional be incautious about the kind of information he or she chooses to release, then he or she may find that they are subject to high fines, sanctions from federally funded agencies and loss of clinical privilege. To me, HIPAA seems like the extreme end of the pendulum, and does little to take into account common sense. I believe that in the future, different legislation will be made to modify the tone of HIPAA and allow a bit of clinical common sense to be used as well. Until that time, mental health practitioners will have to tread lightly and practice with care, keeping in mind at all times the needs of the patient and the rule of the law. So in summary, there are many kinds of mental health professionals, of all different backgrounds and disciplines. It would not be difficult to find a therapist or other mental health professional that would be able to help a client with his or her problems. All are highly qualified. All receive excellent training, and the high degree of diversity allows the mental health patient to almost have a consumer attitude when shopping for mental health care. No matter what kind of practitioner a patient chooses, the patient should be sure that he or she has chosen one who is well versed in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. New laws put into affect do much to protect the rights of the patient, but in some ways can tie the hands of the clinical provider. But ultimately, rules are in place to protect both the patient and the practitioner. Bibliography : Bridget, J. 1994, Treatment of Lesbians with Alcohol Problems in Alcohol services in North-West England, Lesbian Information Service. Faulkner, A. 1997, Briefing No. 1 Suicide and Deliberate Self-Harm. Mental Health Foundation National Patient Safety Agency 2001, Safety First, National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness, five-year report of the National Confidential Inquiry Shaffi, M. , Carigan, S. , Whittinghall, J. R. et al. 1985, Psychological Autopsy of Completed Suicide in Children and Adolescents, American Journal of Psychiatry, 142, 1061-1064. United States Department of Health and Human Services website, accessed on 4/2/05 at hhs. gov/ocr/hipaa/

The 100 Most Important Words in English

The 100 Most Important Words in English This list of important words was drawn up by British rhetorician I.A. Richards, author of several books including Basic English and Its Uses (1943). However, these 100 words are not a part of the simplified version of the language that he and C.K. Ogden called Basic English. Also, were not talking about the 100 most frequently used words in English (a list that contains far more prepositions than nouns). And unlike the 100 words chosen by David Crystal to tell The Story of English, Richards words are primarily significant for their meanings, not their etymologies. Richards introduced his list of words in the book How to Read a Page: A Course in Effective Reading (1942), and he called them the most important words for two reasons: They cover the ideas we can least avoid using, those which are concerned in all that we do as thinking beings.They are words we are forced to use in explaining other words because it is in terms of the ideas they cover that the meanings of other words must be given. Here are those 100 important words: AmountArgumentArtBeBeautifulBeliefCauseCertainChanceChangeClearCommonComparisonConditionConnectionCopyDecisionDegreeDesireDevelopmentDifferentDoEducationEndEventExamplesExistenceExperienceFactFearFeelingFictionForceFormFreeGeneralGetGiveGoodGovernmentHappyHaveHistoryIdeaImportantInterestKnowledgeLawLetLevelLivingLoveMakeMaterialMeasureMindMotionNameNationNaturalNecessaryNormalNumberObservationOppositeOrderOrganizationPartPlacePleasurePossiblePowerProbablePropertyPurposeQualityQuestionReasonRelationRepresentativeRespectResponsibleRightSameSayScienceSeeSeemSenseSignSimpleSocietySortSpecialSubstanceThingThoughtTrueUseWayWiseWordWork All these words carry multiple meanings, and they can say quite different things to different readers. For that reason, Richards list could just as well have been labeled The 100 Most Ambiguous Words: The very usefulness which gives them their importance explains their ambiguity. They are the servants of too many interests to keep to single, clearly defined jobs. Technical words in the sciences are like adzes, planes, gimlets, or razors. A word like experience, or feeling, or true is like a pocketknife. In good hands it will do most things- not very well. In general we will find that the more important a word is, and the more central and necessary its meanings are in our pictures of ourselves and the world, the more ambiguous and possibly deceiving the word will be. In an earlier book, The Making of Meaning (1923), Richards (and co-author C.K. Ogden) had explored the fundamental notion that meaning doesnt reside in words themselves. Rather, meaning is rhetorical: Its fashioned out of both a verbal context (the words surrounding the words) and the experiences of the individual reader. No surprise, then, that miscommunication is often the result when the important words come into play. Its this idea of miscommunicating through language that led Richards to conclude that all of us are developing our reading skills all the time: Whenever we use words in forming some judgment or decision, we are, in what may be a painfully sharp sense, learning to read (How to Read a Page.) There are actually 103 words on Richards top-100 list. The bonus words, he said, are meant to incite the reader to the task of cutting out those he sees no point in and adding any he pleases, and to discourage the notion that there is anything sacrosanct about a hundred, or any other number. Your List So with those thoughts in mind, its now time to create a list of what you think are the most important words. Sources Crystal, David.  The Story of English.  St. Martins Press, 2012, New York.Richards, I.A.  Basic English  and  Its Uses. W.W. Norton Co., 1943, New York. Richards, I.A. How to Read a Page: A Course in Effective Reading. Beacon Press, 1942, Boston.Ogden, C.K. and Richards, I.A. The Making of Meaning.  Harcourt, 1923, New York.

Risk & Security Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Risk & Security Management - Essay Example Today, researchers are plagued by the difficulty to define emergency, disaster, and crisis and, more importantly, by the difficulty in distinguishing these definitions and concepts from one another. Modern literature generally defines emergency as â€Å"actual or threatened accidental or uncontrollable events that are concentrated in time and space, in which a society, or a relatively self-sufficient subdivision of a society undergoes severe danger, and incurs such losses to its members and physical appurtenances that the social structure is disrupted and the fulfillment of all or some of the essential functions of the society, or its subdivision is prevented† (Fischer 1998). In other words, an emergency situation is always about accidental or the risk of accidental events that are both uncontrollable and are concentrated in time in space. Emergency is anything that involves or causes the inevitable disruption of the critical social or organizational functions: for example, th e breach of the computer system is naturally followed by the organization’s inability to process its customer information effectively (Moore & Lakha 2006). Objectively, the discussed definition of emergency implies that before security and risk managers can call the situation â€Å"a disaster†, the major social and organizational functions must be severely disrupted (Culp 2002, Roper 1999). In this sense, it would be correct to assume that emergency is the starting point and is the first stage of crisis development which, if not prevented and addressed, will readily transform into what managers call ‘a disaster’.

The global business environment's changes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The global business environment's changes - Essay Example ttaining comparative advantage led to the intervention of the national governments in holding part or full stake of the oil industry in various countries (Paul, 2006). This has brought about changes in the stake holding pattern. Almost 85% of the oil reserves were held by the super-majors in 1950s and the current scenario exhibits that 90% of the oil reserves are held by the national oil companies. The worldwide economic expansion and the growth of the emerging economies have led to the increase in customer base in the automobile markets, increasing trade across the oceans and skies, increasing number of air traffic. Due to this, the demand for oil is likely to increase enormously in the next twenty years. The use of advanced technologies in oil exploration and distribution in order to meet the increasing demand has led to the decrease in the supply level of available oil reserves. Thus the major player would need to look into the possible usages of natural gas, etc as substitute sources of energy in order to meet the future demand of

Marketing Discussion Essay Example for Free

Marketing Discussion Essay From the scenario, propose two (2) methods that Golds Reling, Inc. could use in order to effectively measure customer satisfaction for the new product launch. Choose the most effective method, and suggest one (1) process that the organization could follow in order to implement your chosen method. Justify your response. Upload a short (one to two [1-2] minute) video using Kaltura to share your ideas. You may use an iPad, cellphone, laptop, desktop, or traditional video recorder to record your discussion response. You may embed your video or include the link in the discussion board. Note: Your video must be professional and of academic quality. Discounts and Loyalty Programs are perfect ways to keep customers satisfied and interested in new products. A discount depending on the size of the discount can grab the attention of new customers and continue to entice existing customers. Discounts are great because the customer and the business are getting attention. The customer is getting a new product for a fraction of its original cost and the business is getting word-of-mouth advertising from consumers who feel the product is great. Not only is the product great but it looks a lot better with a discount. Since many senior citizens are becoming tech savvy and purchasing computers more a discount specifically designed for seniors will benefit the senior community. Another group will benefit from the discount and the group is called students. Students and student parents spend millions of dollars annually on laptop computers and the accessories. Loyalty Programs work wonders because it engages customers to shop on the company’s website more often. Loyalty Programs also offer customers incentives such as upgrading hotel rooms upgrading flights free flights and discount tickets for places like amusement parks for children. Loyalty Programs work well for a business in the sense of forcing members to surf the company’s website more often. If you can get the customer on the website more often it is a great possibility consumers will spend more. Discounts are very easy to do and the discount can be offered in the form of a coupon with two versions clip (paper) and non clip (download the coupon to a smart phone). Customers will love the fact of scanning a phone or clipping a coupon from the weekly circular and receiving a great discount on a new computer. Imagine that you have been tasked with creating an app for Apple’s iTunes store. Determine two (2) research tools (surveys focus groups, concept testing, etc.) you will use to identify customers’ needs.

Rates of Epidemic Infection Drops :: Spanish Influenza Journalism Media Essays

Rates of Epidemic Infection Drops Breaking news today as the New York Times reports a drop in the rate of infection of what is now being called Spanish Influenza. More than 900 fewer cases in the past 24 hrs were reported by the New York Times today, with a total decrease in 91 deaths. This 20 percent drop resulted in only 3,362 reported cases of influenza as of October 21. As New Yorkers breathe a quick sigh of relief, the rest of the nation shudders on what has become an epidemic spread of the grippe, normally common this time of year but never before so deadly. However, medical officials warn that these numbers may not be necessarily accurate, as there are many cases of influenza that go unreported. In spite of the medical official's warnings, the drop in the number of those killed by Spanish influenza is positive, as those can be accurately measured and accounted for. News of the decrease in cases reported was met with a push for more vigilance in preventing the spread of this malady. A list of twelve rules to the public in the aim of safeguarding against the spread of respitory disease has been released by the Surgeon General of the Army, one of which being the three C's--a clean mouth, clean skin and clean clothes. The question of how this epidemic attacked the United States at this time of War against democracy is one that plagues every patriot's mind. A mere month ago Health Officials were meeting to discuss the prevention of the spread of the disease from the ports. Only limited cases had been reported, with quarantines being enforced in New York City. Now as it has spread to all states, with only three having stationary reports of its spread, Americans are searching for more preventative action. From its appearance, this Grippe-like influenza has spread rapidly. New York prepared itself for an outbreak when the first three city-based cases of influenza appeared on September 19. Commissioner Dr. Royal S. Copeland in speaking of the outbreak confirmed everyone's worst fears, "It looks very much as [if] we were in for our influenza siege." The quick spread of the disease was marked by the crowding of hospitals. On October 20, only a month after the initial impact of the illness was made apparent, the New York Chapter of the Red Cross has made all of their facilities at the immediate disposal of all city and governmental officials.

Position Paper of Morocco to Frozen Conflicts in the Region

Nowadays, there are hundreds of conflicts which are in a frozen state all around the world. Most of these conflicts based on ethnic separatism which greatly complicates the task of solving them, headed by the whole nationality. The former Soviet Union alone has 4 frozen conflicts. Some political analysts believe, that the armed conflicts in the region of the Black Sea and South Caucasus emerged due to the disintegration of the Soviet Union, as well as not fully thought out the division of the lands between the new states.As evidenced of it the presence there is not one or just two conflicts in the former Soviet Union, but as many as 4. The modern world's attention is focused on the open conflicts and military showdowns, but we should not forget about the frozen conflicts, which are fraught with the danger of instantly break the â€Å"frozen† state and move into a phase blitzkrieg side. Frozen conflicts of the Black Sea and South Caucasus affect countries such as South Ossetia, North Ossetia, Ingushetia and Georgia.Another centre of the conflict is a clash of interests of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is geographically located in Azerbaijan, but the majority of its population are Armenians. But we shouldn`t talk about the lack of attention of the world community and political institutions to the frozen conflicts in these regions. Since one of the main functions of the UN Security Council is the maintenance and preservation of the peace, of course the UN has made and is making peacekeeping measures in the past.UN adopted 4 resolutions to stop illegal occupation of the territory of Azerbaijan: April 30, 1993 Adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 822, which requires â€Å"an immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from Kelbajar district and other recently occupied areas of Azerbaijan. † July 29, 1993 – Adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 853, â€Å"which requires the immediate, complete and unconditiona l withdrawal of the occupying forces from the district of Agdam and all other recently occupied areas of the Republic of Azerbaijan. October 14, 1993 – UN Security Council passed Resolution 874, calling on the parties â€Å"to refrain from any hostile acts and from any interference or intervention which would lead to escalation of the conflict and undermine peace and security in the region. † November 11, 1993 – UN Security Council adopted Resolution 884, which requires â€Å"an immediate cessation of hostilities and hostile acts, unilateral withdrawal of occupying forces from the Zangelan district and the city Horadiz and withdrawal of occupying forces from other recently occupied areas of the Republic of Azerbaijan. June 12, 1995 the EU Council adopted a project of â€Å"common position† on the Caucasus. In this document, among other things, noted that the Union should help Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan to overcome the difficult period of transition to democracy, based on a market economy. Thus, we have no rights to say that the European Union and the world community did not take part in the settlement of the conflicts peacefully.However, putting on hold military action, but without reaching consensus in resolving disputes or frozen conflicts, not only inhibits geopolitical development of the participating countries, but also serves as a prerequisite for the destabilization of the entire system of international relations. Our country is not an exception and we also have a hidden conflict over Western Sahara, which, due to its geographical position traditionally is a disputed territory, the possession of which at one time claimed Spain and France.Our country is embroiled in armed conflict in 1957 – 58 with Spain, the rise of nationalism also contributed to the tense situation in the region among the people of Western Sahara, and consequently, the formation of the Popular Front (POLISARIO) in May 1973, which launched an ar med struggle against the Spaniards. As a result, in 1975, were entered into the Madrid Agreement and the Western Sahara territory was divided between our country and Mauritania. But POLISARIO immediately declared the independence of the Arab Democratic Republic and supported by Algeria began fighting against our country and Mauritania.However, the neighbouring countries have given up their rights to part of the territory of Western Sahara, allowing us as a more economically and militarily powerful country to continue to fight for the right to possess the territory. Interest in the territory of Western Sahara is due not only to national-ethnic factor, but also a lot of subsoil resources are located in the area. On September 6, 1991, UN a truce was arranged, but so far the conflict finally settled as a referendum on independence has not been conducted.Search for solution to the frozen conflict is of interest to our country in view of the growing possibility of a conflict with Spain, w hose city enclaves in the territory of our country. But the number of the Moroccan population in these cities is gradually increasing over the Spanish. This situation can be a starting point for separatist thoughts. So we need to develop a general model without resolving the frozen conflicts on the basis of precedent, at least learn how to prevent and deal with them at the local, sub-national level.