Overdiagnosis or misdiagnosis of schizophrenia among African American clients is a longstanding and critical disparity in mental health services. Overdiagnosis of schizophrenia is detrimental because it increases the potential for treatment with the wrong medications. Inadequate assessment of mood disorders, co-occurring substance abuse, and…

Presents a social work model for building a family-institution alliance as distinguished from a therapeutic alliance. The model is based on a conceptualization of the family's needs at four successive stages in the early period of its relationship with the institution. (JAC)

Addresses differences among competence, commitment, and mental illness; the right to privacy; and the prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Reviews professional motivations in relation to both sides of controversy over rights of psychiatric patients to refuse medication. Presents position for social work profession that stands for…

Notes that overriding a mentally ill person's refusal to take medications may pose a dilemma around the issue of patients' rights, despite opinion of many authorities that refusal is often illness related. Presents information to help promote understanding of reasons why those who work with mentally ill people should be ready to override their…

Conducted interviews with 27 clinical social workers who worked in psychiatric inpatient units. Found that inpatient social workers were struggling to create ways to meet increased workload demands and were questioning effectiveness of short-term hospital treatment. Respondents reported personal and professional losses as well as challenges caused…

This qualitative study assessed clients' participation in organizational decision making in a public long-term psychiatric hospital. Numerous examples were found in which clients meaningfully participated in the decision-making process and achieved favorable policy changes. Three means of involving clients were found to be especially useful: (1)…

A study examining factors that contribute to effective team functioning in inpatient psychiatric facilities showed that most respondents, who were all members of such teams, agreed that teamwork helped to improve treatment plans for individual clients. Roles social workers take as team members are examined and important issues about team…

In a study undertaken at a state hospital to determine quantitative influence of counselors on drug and alcohol problems, counselors had a significant impact on the patients' admission rates, their length of time in the hospital, their length of time back in the community, and their rates of readmission. (Author)

Reviewed the psychiatric and medical care of female veterans using 69 interviews at a veterans psychiatric facility. The data suggested that female veterans are satisfied with care in general but are less satisfied with certain gender-related components of care. Reviews the facility's responses to the findings and suggests changes. (JAC)

Study reviews documents and conducts focus groups with clients and staff of a public psychiatric hospital to identify barriers to empowerment and the conditions that must be present for client empowerment to occur through treatment planning. For empowerment to occur, clients need psychiatric stability and decision-making skills. (Contains 40…

Surveyed clinical social workers (n=216) concerning rights of psychiatric patients who are involuntarily committed to institutions. Although majority of respondents support patients' rights, minority demonstrated restrictive attitudes and unawareness of existing laws regarding patients' rights. Controversial issues, such as right to refuse…

Notes that there often is no formally established bereavement service designed to assist surviving family members, patients, or staff members when patient dies while receiving care in acute care setting. Presents exemplar bereavement service using data from few existing or proposed efforts to formalize bereavement services in acute care settings…

Tests the hypothesis that patients who were contacted more often by their relatives would stay a shorter time in the hospital. Results support the hypothesis. (Author)

Mentally retarded citizens have been denied their human and civil rights, not only by the public, but by professionals--including social workers. The author claims that most programs for the mentally retarded are, at best, dehumanizing. Professionals have an ethical obligation to refuse to refer children to such programs. (Author)

This article presents data comparing the ability of psychiatric patients and their relatives to predict the posthospital adjustment of the patient. The study focuses on the comparison of the accuracies of patients' and relatives' expectations over a six month period beginning just prior to the patient's release. (SJL)