Running head: The Role and Life of a Mental Health Counselor The Role and Life of a Mental Health Counselor Mental health counselors provide counseling services for clients that suffer from personal issues (e.g. depression, substance abuse). Mental health counselors are trained to provide psychotherapy, psychological assessments, and diagnosis disorders of a specified population of clients in an individual or group setting, by helping them cope with mental and emotional problems (Erford, 2010). Counselors in the mental health profession are expected to maintain the confidentiality of records relating to the client’s treatment. Mental health professionals practice active listening and encourage the client to express their feelings.
It has been said that these organizations move persons from undesirable to desirable states. Petagaye “As a trained social worker myself, I know that the mission states that social workers employ a bio-psycho-social approach to restore clients to a state of social functioning” Response “Unique technologies are employed to help persons interact better with their families, neighbours and co-workers. They are enabled to be more productive at work and to be responsible citizens. Petagaye “Let’s go to the phone lines and then we will pick up later on those technologies that, I’m quite sure will enlighten our listeners on how social service agencies differ in function and characteristics from other
In this paper I will rebut the justices concerns about the competencies of human service workers. I will also provide quality supporting sources to illustrate the value that human service workers provide to the criminal justice system. Rebutting the justice’s concerns about the competencies of human service workers According to Justice Scalia’s Dissent in Jaffee v Redmond (1996), “Should there be a social worker client privilege with regard to psychotherapeutic counseling?” The answer to that question is yes. The job of a human service worker is to help, assist and support their client in the pursuit of living a better life. They are afforded the privilege to have intimate knowledge of the clients past, their present and their future goals.
In helping these clients in the mental health court system we are able to conserve government funding by reducing the process of unnecessary incarceration. Instead, using a therapeutic approach and treating the mental illness has proven successful. If the client is compliant with the treatment plan they are able to graduate from the mental court process and possibly have the charges held against them dismissed. (KingCountryTV, 2011).
Therefore, it is important the social workers are educated in ways to identify these victims in order to provide these services. The social work profession’s mission is to “enhance the well-being of vulnerable, oppressed and poverty stricken individuals (Turner & Lehning, 2004, p 58). Human trafficking is against the substance of the social work profession. The National Association of Social Workers promotes enhancing the well-being of humans and devotes attention to providing empowerment of individuals who are vulnerable, oppressed and in poverty which identifies with the population of victims of human trafficking. Advocacy, community organizing and program collaboration with agencies are ways that the profession can work to reduce and prevent trafficking.
[i] The concept of a post incarceration syndrome (PICS) has emerged from clinical consultation work with criminal justice system rehabilitation programs working with currently incarcerated prisoners and with addiction treatment programs and community mental health centers working with recently released prisoners. This article will provide an operational definition of the Post Incarceration Syndrome (PICS), describe the common symptoms, recommend approaches to diagnosis and treatment, explore the implications of this serious new syndrome for community safety, and discuss the need for political action to reduce the number of prisoners and assure more humane treatment within our prisons, jails, and correctional institutions as a means of prevention. It is my hope that this initial formulation of a PICS Syndrome will encourage researchers to develop objective testing tools and formal studies to add to our understanding of the problems encountered by released inmates that influence recovery and relapse. Post Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) - Operational Definition
Advantages: The mentally ill will be provided with the proper care and facilities that would be long term or short term help depending on the illness. The stigma would significantly decrease because prison facilities would have fewer mentally ill prisoners which would decrease stigmas between prisons and the mentally ill. iv. Disadvantages: This solution has already existed and was unsuccessful. What makes the abuse and mistreatment of patients not reoccur? It is risky in funding a program that we know failed once before.
A halfway house, also called a recovery house or sober house, is generally to allow people to begin the process of reintegration with society, while still providing people to watch of each other and support this is generally believed to reduce the risk of recidivism or relapse when compared to a release directly into society. Some halfway houses are meant only for reintegration of people who have been recently released from prison or jail, others are meant for people with chronic mental health disorders, and most others are for people with substance abuse
A Corrections Counselor will evaluate the psychosocial functions of an offender and evaluate how he/she needs treatment to transition back into society. The Corrections Counselor needs to look at the rehabilitation that is most effective for each individual while they are an inmate. Treatment can include counseling and educational services as well as surveys from the inmate to help in aiding
Also, without the inclusion of rehabilitation programs offered in 2008 with their successes and failures, the reader sees only part of the “big picture”. It would be interesting to know the percentage of recidivism for delinquents attending these programs, such as anger management and violence prevention classes while incarcerated or not. By including data concerning available rehab programs, the reader, whether law enforcement or the private citizen, can gain knowledge about the rehabilitation this country offers and the degree of success. The article indicates that juvenile arrests, as a whole, were fewer in 2008 than in 2007. Burglary arrests were slightly higher 2007 and 2008, but remained markedly less than in the 90’s.