Social work in health care
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This study considers four hypotheses regarding the impact of extended involuntary outpatient commitment orders on services utilization. ⋯ Outpatient commitment for those on extended orders in the Victorian context enables a level of community-based services provision, unexpected in the absence of this delivery system, which provides an alternative to hospitalization.
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A survey of 391 health care social workers assessed educational content and skills needed for competence in practice with those facing the end of life. Content perceived as most needed included psychological and social needs of patients and families; psychosocial interventions to ameliorate distress; and the influence of dying on family dynamics. Assessing complex needs of patients/families; communication of psychosocial needs of patient/family to team members; facilitation of effective family and team communication; and provision of crisis intervention were the skills perceived to be required for competence in end-of-life care practice. Results of these data can be used to develop model end-of-life care curricula for continuing education programs and to identify content for possible inclusion in social work programs.
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This paper examines the needs and stress reactions of children of mentally ill parents, as well as coping and resilience. The study is based on the interviews of six 9-11 years old children and narratives of seventeen female grown up children of mentally ill parents. The younger and older children of the mentally ill parents had not been informed about their parent's illness. ⋯ It is recommended that professionals in mental health and child welfare services clarify their roles when working with mentally ill parents. The best interest of the child and the parenting they need should be carefully assessed. Open care measures should be offered to families early enough to prevent serious child welfare and mental problems.
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The concept of Mental Homelessness is presented and developed. This paper will provide a historical review of the connection between mental illness and housing and the changing approaches toward institutionalization and de-institutionalization over several centuries. Case illustrations from practice in Israel will be presented to highlight the theme of home, or rather the theme of lacking a home as an element which may be inherent to a mental illness. ⋯ This work is a primary attempt at developing a new idea, stemming originally from the field of mental health, with an attempt to widen its theoretical scope to populations not usually defined as mentally ill. Clinical characteristics are presented, as well as an attempt at a theoretical formulation of this concept permitting the development of therapeutic implications. These are presented in relation to existing psychodynamic concepts and therapeutic approaches related to the phenomenon of homelessness. mind of which the actual, physical homelessness may be a manifested re.