HLTH 4421: Assessment and Intervention Approaches to Mental Health Problems

By working through the learning activities in this course, students will:

• Appreciate the ethical responsibilities required of professionals working with individuals with mental health problems and their families
• Identify how to convey oneself in order to facilitate the recovery of those experiencing mental health issues including their families
• Recognize signs of caregiver burnout and understanding how to care for oneself
• Appreciate and apply the skills and practices necessary to work in collaboration with other health professionals and service providers in a wide variety of settings
• Identify and apply the core skills and practices in psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery models that support and respect the agency of individuals with mental health problems and their families
• Recognize and be able to apply the issues of privacy and confidentiality and how to optimize the sharing of information with other service providers and family members
• Express how to interact with individuals and families in order to best obtain high quality assessment information in a therapeutic manner
• Identify the core components of the mental health assessment, including mental status and physical examination
• Appreciate the responsibilities of careful documentation of mental health assessments and treatment activities
• Identify the core components of documentation of mental health assessments and treatment activities
• Identify the core elements of a high quality care plan
• Recognize the core practices required to ensure safety for all during a psychiatric emergency
• Recognize the core practices in assessment and treatment of potentially aggressive behaviour
• Identify the core practices in the assessment and treatment of suicidal ideation and behaviour
• Identify the core components of assessment of individuals with:
  • cognitive disturbances, including functional ability and safety
  • psychotic conditions and their families
  • mood disorders and their families
  • eating disorders and their families
  • personality disorders and their families
  • somatization disorders and their families
• Identify the key issues that are involved in providing high quality care to individuals with cognitive disturbances and their families
• Appreciate the importance of psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery principles in caring for individuals with psychotic conditions and their families
• Identify the core components of practice in the acute care of individuals with:
  • psychotic conditions and their families
  • mood disorders and their families
  • eating disorders and their families
  • personality disorders and their families
  • somatization disorders and their families
• Identify the core components of practice in the ongoing and long-term care of individuals with:
  • psychotic conditions and their families
  • mood disorders and their families
  • eating disorders and their families
  • personality disorders and their families e. somatization disorders and their families

• Lesson 1: Ethical Responsibilities and Self Care
• Lesson 2: Collaboration and Teamwork in Clinical and Community Settings
• Lesson 3: Assessment of Mental Processes and Behaviours
• Lesson 4: Documentation and Care Planning
• Lesson 5: Emergency Assessment and Treatment
• Lesson 6: Caring for Individuals with Cognitive Disorders and Their Families
• Lesson 7: Caring for Individuals with Psychotic Conditions and Their Families
• Lesson 8: Caring for Individuals with Mood Disorders and Their Families
• Lesson 9: Caring for Individuals with Anxiety Disorders and Their Families
• Lesson 10: Caring for Individuals with Eating Disorders and Their Families
• Lesson 11: Caring for Individuals with Personality Disorders and Their Families
• Lesson 12: Caring for Individuals with Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders and Their Families

The following materials are required for this course:

• Goldbloom, D. S. (2010). Psychiatric Clinical Skills (revised 1st ed.). Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
  Type: Textbook. ISBN: 978-1-77052-378-4.

• Zimmerman, M. (2013). Interview Guide for Evaluating DSM-5 Psychiatric Disorders and the Mental Status Examination. East Greenwich, RI: Psych Products Press, 2013.
  Type: Textbook. ISBN: 9780963382115

OR

• Zimmerman, M. (2022). Interview Guide for Evaluating DSM-5-TR Psychiatric Disorders and the Mental Status Examination. East Greenwich, RI: Psych Products Press.
  Type: Textbook. ISBN: 9780963382122

To successfully complete this course, students must achieve a passing grade of 50% or higher on the overall course and 50% or higher on the mandatory Final Project.

An Open Learning Faculty Member is available to assist students. Students will receive the necessary contact information at the start of the course.