Premium Essay

The State of Mental Health

In:

Submitted By nus123
Words 1788
Pages 8
The State of Mental Health

The State of Mental Health- A Community Teaching Project. Mental health is an issue that effects all communities, and every aspect of the nursing profession. The lack of mental health resources in this county means that mental health issues become an even bigger social issue. As member of the health care profession we are in a unique position to shed light to the general public on this issue and the need for legislation to provide services and protection to those with mental health issues. Healthy People 2020 defines mental health as a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with challenges. Mental health is essential to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships, and the ability to contribute to community or society. It goes on to describe mental illness as all definable diagnosis relating to mental health. (Healthy People 2020, 2016). One of the most common causes of disability in the U.S. is mental illness and as a result it places a tremendous burden on society. An estimated one in seventeen adults in the United States suffers from some form of mental illness. Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death in the United States. Mental health and physical well-being are closely intertwined. Diseases like depression can limit a person’s abilities to participate in health promoting activities. Conversely, chronic physical illness can exacerbate mental disorders. (Healthy People 2020, 2016).
Over the past several years there has been much research devoted to mental health. The current model for understanding mental health and mental disorders emphasized the interaction of social environmental and generic factors throughout the lifespan. This model recognizes that there are

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Mental Health In The United States

...Mental Health Services is defined as “assessment, diagnosis, treatment or counseling in a professional relationship to assist an individual or group in alleviating mental or emotional illness, symptoms, conditions or disorders” (bcm.edu) Mental health services didn’t start out the way it is now. It’s evolved into something much more than what it used to be. During Colonial America, society believed that insanity and mental health disorders was caused by a full moon at the time of a baby’s birth. Those without family were placed in prisons and were chained to walls. The first hospitals built in 1773 were designed to keep those with mental illness away from society and not treat them. The mistreatment of the mentally ill in prisons during the 19th century inspired the increase of creation of institutions to treat them. The society’s focus on these patients led to state legislative committee in 1827 to look into institution conditions. The construction of a 120 bed hospital...

Words: 491 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

According to World Health Organization, Being Healthy Means a State of Complete Physical, Mental and Social Well-Being and Not Merely the Absence of Disease or Infirmity. the Way in Which We Live Our Lives Can Have

...Lesson 2: Formatting a lab report using APA style APA Style The APA Publication Manual sets out clear guidelines regarding the format of a lab report. General formatting issues Use the following formatting guidelines for your lab report. Your entire report should be: 1. 12-point font (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Courier) 2. Double spaced throughout 3. Without gaps – you need to indent the first line of every paragraph by one-half inch (1.27cm) 4. With standard margins – 1” or 2.54cm all round 5. Aligned left (do not use justified alignment) 6. Paginated, with page numbers being consecutive from the title page and located on the top right of the page using Arabic numerals (e.g., 1, 2, 3 ..).  There are clear guidelines on the formatting of the headings in your report. See the guidelines below. Level of heading | Format | Sections using this heading level | 1 | Centred, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase heading | Method Results Discussion | 2 | Flushed left, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase heading | Participants Materials Procedure | 3 |    Indented, boldface, lowercase paragraph heading ending in a period. |   | 4 |    Indented, boldface, italicized, lowercase paragraph heading ending in a period. |   | 5 |    Indented, italicized, lowercase paragraph heading ending in a period.  |   | When reporting numbers, use numerals when: 1. the number is greater than 10 2. the number is smaller than 10 and is compared to number greater...

Words: 276 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Mental Health Policy

...Social Policy: Texas Mental Health Elizabeth Awad University of Texas at Arlington Social Policy: Texas Mental Health Historical Background A recent change in the Texas law was passed for the Code of Criminal Procedure under the 84th Legislature, Under Texas Law Article 46B.102. CIVIL COMMITMENT HEARING: MENTAL ILLNESS is covered when (a) the court determines that the defendant may be a victim of mental illness, then the court shall hold a hearing to determine whether the defendant should be court-ordered by the state of Texas to mental health services under Subtitle C, Title 7, Health and Safety Code. And (b) Proceedings from the committed defendant determine that they should be court ordered mental health services that are governed by Subtitle C, Title 7, Health and Safety Code. “Mental Health does not respect zip codes, mental health affects everybody and formed the Texas State of Mind to ensure that Texans can have access to mental health help when they need it” states Tom Luce, Chief Executive Officer of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute who decided to advocate for court ordered and non-court ordered state funded mental health treatment for all Texans (Texas State of Mind., 2015, March 24). Texas Mental Health has been a longstanding concern for Texans and Americans altogether. In 2014, The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute initiated to help serve Texans. Back in July and August of 2012, The Meadows conducted a quantitative research project to its previous...

Words: 1324 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

American Mental Health Counseling Association Code Of Ethics Summary

...American Mental Health Counseling Association Code of Ethics was developed to set standards and guide mental health counselors in ethical decisions. There are six section in the Code of Ethics, categorizing commitments to different people within the counseling profession, including the clients, other professionals, students, supervisees, employees, the profession and the public (American Mental Health Counseling Association, 2010). There is, also, a section on resolving ethical issues (American Mental Health Counseling Association, 2010). Section I addresses the commitment to the client. This section has six subsections. Section I.A states that within the counselor-client relationship, the counselor needs to value objectivity...

Words: 1110 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Inmate Disciplinary Concerning Mental Health

...applied to their non-mentally ill peers. Arising from recent class action lawsuits challenging the quality of mental health care delivery in the nation’s prisons, prison mental health professionals have been called on to play an increasing role in the inmate disciplinary process. Referral questions include whether an inmate is competent to proceed with disciplinary proceedings and whether mental illness may have contributed to the rule violation. Prison mental health professionals participating in inmate disciplinary proceedings must therefore be familiar with relevant clinical, legal, and ethics issues. Little has been written in the psychiatric literature, however, examining this important role for prison mental health professionals. After first reviewing core legal and constitutional concepts, the author presents the results of a nationwide survey examining the role for mental health professionals in the inmate disciplinary process. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to provide a comprehensive review of this subject. Most prison systems have procedures for punishing prisoners who violate prison rules and for removing inmates from the general population for disciplinary or safety reasons. (For the purpose of this article, the terms “prisoner” and “inmate” will be used interchangeably. “Mental health” and “custody” are sometimes used to denote the mental health and custodial staffs of the prisons.) Serious offenses that bring about disciplinary action can result...

Words: 4795 - Pages: 20

Free Essay

Asian American Mental Health

...Asian American Mental Health: What We Know and What We Don’t Know Joyce P. Chu and Stanley Sue 2011 Myiesha Shante Melvin PSYC 400-D1 History and Systems in Psychology Department of Psychology Fayetteville State University November 19, 2015 What are the issues regarding the mental health of Asians in the United States? Asian Americans have experienced many conflicts between their ethnic culture and the “mainstream” Americans. According to Chu & Sue (2011), there were a few research findings that arose: * There weren’t many Asian Americans who exercised their right to use the mental health system. * Those of the Asian American population that do utilize the mental health services are “highly disturbed in terms of psychiatric disorders”. (Chu & Sue, 2011) * The low utilization is what appeared to be influenced by cultural factors. * “The rates of mental disorders among Asian Americans are not extraordinarily low” (Chu & Sue, 2011). This is proven by epidemiological surveys. There are many Asian subgroups in the United States and they are Japanese, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians, Filipinos, Chinese, Asian Indians, Koreans and many more. Over 30 languages are spoken throughout the many different Asian subgroups in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013), the estimated population of Asians in the United States, including those of more than one race, was 18.2 million. In 2011, Asian Americans...

Words: 1374 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Obtaining a Mental Health Counselor License in Florida

...Licensure in the State of Florida is my ultimate career goal, but to obtain my goal there are multiple steps and requirements I must complete. First things first, education, in order to even be legible for licensure I must complete all required graduate coursework and it must from a program that is accredited by CACREP and must be a Mental Health Counseling Degree (Licensed Mental Health Counselor). As a counselor it is never certain who will walk through your door as a client and what their needs will be, so in the State of Florida it is mandatory that the coursework include classes in substance abuse and human sexuality, a three-hour class on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS), a two-hour class in domestic violence, and an eight hour laws and rules course from an approved provider in order to practice (Licensed Mental Health Counselor). For mental health licensure I, or any student seeking the position, must be enrolled in a graduate counseling program has “60 semester hours or 80 quarter hours of clinical and didactic instruction” to comply with the state, if any student decides to go to a school that is not CACREP-accredited “it is up to the student to provide enough substantial information to prove the experience learned meets the standards set by the State of Florida” (Florida Mental Health Professions). Should I or any student that wants to be a mental health counselor not receive a degree in the subject still has an opportunity to counseling in the State of Florida. In...

Words: 937 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Mentally Ill in Prison

...Prison Abstract The increase in incarcerated individuals with mental illness in the preceding decades has made the prison system a prevalent mental health provider even though they are not prepared or equipped for such task. Prison life is tough on an individual’s mental health; overcapacity, lack of privacy, violent behavior, lack of activity, inadequate health services, seclusion from family and friends, and the insecurity of what life holds after prison contribute to the inmate’s mental health. Inmates whose judgment is altered or impaired by depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other severe mental illnesses are impacted more severely by the tribulations of prison life. Inadequate mental health services is also something mentally ill inmates face, this absconds them undertreated or mistreated. Numerous prisoners do not receive proper psychotropic medication due to the lack of mental health services and care, further impairing their capability to function. The security mission of prisons tends to overlook mental health considerations. Prison rules and codes of demeanor teach staff about security, safety, supremacy, and power. Coordinating the needs of the mentally ill with prison regulations and goals is almost impractical. Factors of the sources and effects of the concern between prison and mental illness will be observed in this research proposal. Reforms will be provided to improve mental health requirements and defend the rights of the increasing population...

Words: 4562 - Pages: 19

Premium Essay

Mental Health Care Disparities: Consequences of Ineffectiveness and Lack of Access for Minorities

...Mental Health Care Disparities: Consequences of Ineffectiveness and Lack of Access for Minorities Ebony Marinnie RN Rowan University Mental Health Care Disparities: Consequences of ineffectiveness and lack of access for minorities For ages mental illness has been seen as the ultimate curse. The mentally ill were seen as possessed, hidden from society, and never talked about. In America, it is estimated that 26.2 percent of people ages 18 and older suffer from a diagnosed mental disorder in a given year (Kessler,Chiu, Walters, & Demler, 2005). The aforementioned statistics reflect those that have sought or been forced into treatment. There are many left uncounted due to lack of access and ineffective treatment secondary to a number of reasons. Considering history, discrimination, personal perception, socioeconomic status, educational backgrounds and a host of other reasons many minority groups are reluctant to seek out treatment in what many may consider a system of mental health created and sustained primarily for the middle and upper-class White America. In fact, 60 percent of people with mental illnesses do not receive treatment (Kessler et al., 2005). The purpose of this paper is to discuss mental health care disparities in minority populations within American society, and to suggest some needed changes to close the gap in America. One quarter of all Americans meet the criteria for having a mental illness and a quarter of those have a disorder that significantly...

Words: 2360 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Depression And Generalized Anxiety Disorder (NIMH)

...couple of years before treatment. I didn't know what steps to take at the time, as I was never taught about mental health in school and it was rarely talked about at home. I have been to therapy and taken pills, but the thing that has truly benefited me is gaining more information on what I struggle with and learning how to take care of my mental health in general. Mental health refers to a person’s psychological and emotional well-being. Millions of Americans are affected by mental health conditions...

Words: 1418 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Organizational Barriers to Healthcare

...Organizational Barriers to Mental Health Care Alex Nimako Aspen University Dr. Nina Beaman May 2, 2015 The health care environment relevant for this assignment is the state mental hospital at Norristown, Pennsylvania. The closest minority group to this facility will be immigrant Mexicans. In order to examine the potential barriers that might exist for a Mexican seeking mental health at the facility, an assessment of barriers to health care as noted by Purnell (2013) will be provided. This paper will therefore discuss the identified barrier issues relating to language, availability, accessibility, affordability, appropriateness, accountability, and adaptability. Other issues regarding acceptability, awareness, attitudes, approachability, alternative practices and practitioners, and additional services will also be discussed. This paper will further discuss ways to decrease barriers to mental health care for this minority group to assist the facility strive for cultural competency. Acosta (2003) noted in his project on a model mental health program for Hispanics that language barriers and lack of health insurance are the two major barriers to receiving mental health care for Latinos. There are no nurses, social workers, physicians, and psychologists at this facility who speak Spanish. However there are several Spanish speaking patients at both the civil side and forensic unit. The facility has to rely on interpreters whose services can only be obtained through a state established help...

Words: 1323 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Importance of Learning About Mental Health

...About Mental Health by Reynaldo Cantu III Term Paper Engineering Management 52 Tufts University Medford, Massachusetts April 30, 2015 Executive Summary I wrote this research paper as a requirement for the class Technical and Managerial Communications taught by Amy Hirschfeld. The topic of this research paper is mental health issues. The purpose of this paper is to bring to light a topic that is not very talked about but is very important. Mental health is something that is generally brushed off to the side, but mental health issues can happen to anyone at anytime. In this paper, I explain that being mentally health is being in a state of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Small changes to this balance such as life experiences or biological factors can affect a person’s mental health. The major categories for mental health disorders and how they are categorized are as follows: * Anxiety- too much inner turmoil * Mood- major fluctuations in emotion * Psychotic- major disruptions in brain functions * Dementia- major disturbance to consciousness * Eating- unusual eating behaviors The best way to deal with these mental health issues is to talk to others about it. That is why it is so important for everyone to know about mental health so that they can be comfortable talking about it. Table of Contents Executive Summary Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.1 Purpose 2.2 Scope 2.0 Overview of What is Mental Health ...

Words: 2249 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Annotated Bibliography

...SAMHSA Headquarters Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 1 Choke Cherry Road Rockville, MD 20857 SAMHSA Headquarters: I am writing to you in regards to The Mental Health Parity. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 25% of American adults (those ages 18 and older) and about 13% of American children (those ages 8 to 15) are diagnosed with a mental illness during a given year. Mental health disorders account for four of the top 10 causes of disability in established market economies, such as the US, worldwide, and include: major depression (also called clinical depression), manic depression (also called bipolar disorder), schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. With that being said, millions of Americans with mental health disorders do not have adequate insurance protection against the costs of treatment for their mental disorders. With the rise on Mental Health I strongly feel that The Mental Health Parity needs to be firmly imposed from state to state. According to an authoritative 2005 survey Americans will experience a major psychiatric or substance disorder at some point. For instance, the survey shown that only about 50 percent of Americans with a mood disorder had psychiatric treatment in the past year — leaving the rest at high risk of suicide. Approximately 90% of people with serious mental illnesses are unemployed. This means they do not have an employer-based health insurance plan. If they try to purchase...

Words: 866 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

State-Trait Personality Inventory

...State-Trait Depression Inventory (STDI) was used to measure depression (Spielberger, 2003). A 20-item questionnaire was administered that corresponds to the depression subscale of State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI). It employed a four-point Likert scale with 1 meaning “almost always” and 4 meaning “almost never”. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the scale in the present study is 0.93. A subscale of Ryff’s Scale of Psychological Well-Being entitled Positive Relations with Others was employed (Ryff, 1989), using a six-point Likert scale (0 = totally disagree, 5 = totally agree). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the scale in the present study is 0.83. A demographic data sheet was used to obtain information about gender, age, education,...

Words: 962 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Mental Illness And Psychotherapotherapy

...Mental illness alludes to an extensive variety of emotional health conditions; which include issues that influence one’s mind-set, philosophy and conduct. There are several examples of mental illness which incorporate depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors. Numerous individuals have emotional health anxieties from time to time. Be that as it may, a psychological health concern turns into an emotional instability when continuous signs and symptoms cause recurrent stress and influence your capability to function. An emotional sickness can make one feel hopeless; in which would bring about issues in one’s daily life, for example, at school, work or in relationships. As a rule, symptoms can be managed...

Words: 919 - Pages: 4