E-Mail: jholcomb@richmed.medpark.sc.edu

Assumptions and Expectations: All students enrolled in this course are adult learners with a personal and experiential background relevant to the class. Further, many students at the graduate level have prior vocational experience in fields related to vocational rehabilitation, counseling, or the populations discussed in this course. Each individual enrolled in this class also has a personal agenda of information which he/she would like to acquire. Therefore, each student is expected to be an active participant in all class projects and discussions. Graduate level performance on all projects is expected as is graduate level initiative, curiosity, and personal responsibility. Coursework will be highly challenging but also highly applicable to each student’s personal situation. Instructor assistance is available upon request. Students may schedule individual appointments at any time and can expect to find the instructor available during posted office hours. A professional level of courtesy and mutual respect is expected both on the part of the student and instructor at all times

Goal: The purpose of this course is to provide counselors, rehabilitation counselors, marriage and family counselors, psychoeducational specialists, vocational/mental health personnel, and others in the rehabilitation-related professions with a base of information necessary for understanding individuals with severe long term mental illness, biopsychosocial and cultural issues effecting them, their roles in the community, the rehabilitation process with individuals experiencing psychiatric disabilities, the technologies in use, and the roles/functions of personnel working with this population. This course is also designed to assist learners in making connections between mental health concerns and the overall ability of individuals to experience a desirable quality of life in the social and cultural contexts they prefer.

Course Objectives:

Students will be able to recognize and discuss issues pertaining to the rehabilitation of individuals with psychiatric disabilities.

Students will be able to identify key cultural biological, and social factors unique to individuals with psychiatric disabilities.

Students will become familiar with rehabilitation program models currently in use with the psychiatric population.

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the mental health system in South Carolina, the community-based service model, its relationship to federal programs, and the funding streams that influence the delivery of services to individuals with mental illness.

Walsh, Joseph, (2000). Clinical Case Management with Persons Having Mental Illness.

Principle Project: Students will prepare a paper which compares and contrasts the biopsychosocial rehabilitation of individuals with psychiatric disabilities and the rehabilitation of any other selected population (i.e. the rehabilitation of individuals who are chemically dependent, the rehabilitation of individuals with physical disabilities, the rehabilitation of criminal offenders, etc.). Students will explore the similarities and differences in terms of :

    The underlying philosophies

    The desired or expected outcomes of rehabilitation

    The nature of the population served

    The structure of the service delivery systems involved

    The nature of the rehabilitation process

    The rehabilitation technologies employed

    The roles of rehabilitation specialists working with the chosen populations

    Conclusions drawn from the comparison

These papers should be no more than fifteen pages in length exclusive of the reference list and should be submitted in APA style. POINTS WILL BE DEDUCTED FOR PAPERS WHICH EXCEED 15 PAGES. Papers are due on the last night of class and shall constitute 50% of the grade for the course. Each topic listed above must be addressed, including comments and information about each type of rehabilitation being contrasted. Care should be taken to explore both similarities and differences. A maximum of four points may be earned for each of the nine subheadings with an additional four points for style and format. A total of forty points are possible.

Small Group Project: Students will work in small groups to conduct a series of interviews with mental health workers and vocational rehabilitation workers to identify their understanding of the population, the psychiatric rehabilitation process, their roles and job functions, their relationship to the functions of other individuals engaged in the rehabilitation process, particular challenges and concerns about the effectiveness of the process with the individuals they serve. Each group will generate a list of relevant questions on an assigned topic based on readings, research, and class discussion. A class survey will be produced which will serve as the consistent format for these interviews. Each student will identify and interview three individuals involved in some way in the rehabilitation of individuals with mental illness using the survey. Each small group will then review the responses related to their topic and present the findings to the class. Participation and completion of presentation shall constitute 25% of the grade for the course. Small groups will meet five times prior to the presentation. Each student will earn one point for each session in which they participate. The presentation can earn students a maximum of five points. Point awards will be based on the overall interest of the presentation, the relevance of the presentation to overall course objectives, and the creativity shown by students in identifying and formulating important and relevant questions for their sections of the survey.

Site Visits: Each student will visit a program specifically addressing some portion of the psychiatric rehabilitation process. Students may elect to locate and visit a site independently OR they may coordinate and organize a group visit to a selected facility. Each student will prepare a reaction paper of no more than two pages in length which describes the new learning and insights acquired from the visit. Participation shall constitute 10% of the grade for the course. Completion of the interviews and submission of the reaction paper will earn 10 points. Note class agenda for deadline.

Literature Review: Each student will review and BRIEFLY summarize five recent journal articles other than those designated as class reading assignments on a topic area related to biopsychosocial psychiatric rehabilitation. These articles and their summaries will be discussed in the small groups and incorporated into the class presentations and final papers. Completed summaries shall constitute 10% of the grade for the course. Students successfully completing the literature review will receive 10 points. Note class agenda for deadline.

Classroom presentations, selected readings, and lectures. Each student will complete reading assignments, attend class and participate in class discussions. Students will receive .30 points for each class they attend and actively participate in. A student may earn five points for perfect attendance and involvement. Participation shall constitute 5% of the grade for the course.

 

The following schedule is tentative since this course relies heavily on the availability of guest speakers and lecturers. All listed topics will be covered but adjustments may be made. Advance notice of all changes will be announced whenever possible.

                    Introduction to the course

                    The nature of mental illness

                    Small group planning

                                        The causes and diagnosis of mental illness

                    Biopsychosocial factors

Adjustment factors

Cultural factors

Multicultural theory

Cultural interpretations of mental illness

African American

Native American

European

Small group planning

Assessment of mental illness and psychiatric disabilities

                                        DSM Diagnosis

                                        Behavioral assessment

                                        Functional assessment

                                        Small group planning

                    The treatment of mental illness Psychological interventions

                                        Pharmacological interventions

                                        Small group planning

                  The experience of having mental illness

Cultural considerations

Personal and Family Considerations

Psychosocial Factors

                                        Historical Perspectives

                                        The structure of the mental health system

                                        Public Policy Issues

                                        South Carolina’s mental health and vocational rehabilitation systems

                                        The mental health professions

                                                Psychiatry

                                                Psychology

                                                Professional Counselors

                                                Social Workers

                                                Nursing Professionals and Other Medical Personnel

                                                Case Managers

                                                Vocational Rehabilitation professionals

                                                Others

                                                Clubhouse personnel

                        The philosophy and process of psychiatric rehabilitation

                        Psychiatric rehabilitation in residential and social settings

                                                Family education and support

                                                Prevention and outreach

                                                Community residential programs

                                                 Supported living programs

                                                 Respite Care

                                                 Clubhouse models

                        Psychiatric rehabilitation in educational settings

                        Psychiatric rehabilitation in vocational settings

                                                Vocational assessment/evaluation

                                                Supported employment

                                                Transitional employment

                                                Job placement

                                                Job site accommodations

                        Field Trip: Gateway House, Greenville, SC

        Class Presentations

        Catch up/Wrap up