Discussion 1
How important is psychopharmacology in mental health services? How important is psychopharmacology to clients? When might there be a need for it? How do mental health professionals generally perceive the need for psychopharmacological intervention? What is your personal perception about the need for psychopharmacological intervention in mental health services? Mental health professionals grapple with these questions on a daily basis. As a future mental health professional, consider how you will begin to answer these questions and how your personal perception might influence how you serve client needs.
For this Discussion, review the media program “The Role of the Mental Health Professional in Psychopharmacological Intervention” and consider all scholarly perspectives concerning if or when there is a need for psychopharmacological intervention in mental health services. Then, explore a field in your profession where psychopharmacological interventions might be warranted.
Post and describe one example of where psychopharmacological interventions are warranted in mental health practices. Explain the mental health professional’s role in the example that you provided.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.
Discussion 2
Mental health professionals are charged with the task of assisting their clients’ efforts in obtaining the best care available to them. Often, this might mean making recommendations and referrals, teaming with other medical and mental health professionals, and developing and expanding competencies to meet the needs of their clients. Although there are strict limits to some mental health professional roles in reference to medication management, mental health professionals can serve a vital role in the process.
For this Discussion, review the media titled “The Role of the Mental Health Professional in Psychopharmacological Intervention” and the Learning Resources. Explore the limits of practice in psychopharmacological intervention. Search your professional practice code of ethics and consider how ethical dilemmas that arise in the course of treatment might be mitigated. Check actual final video
By Day 4
Post an explanation of how mental health professionals might prepare themselves to best work with medical professionals in the example you provided in this week’s Discussion 1 (include the need for using a signed release of information). Next, identify a potential ethical dilemma for mental health professionals related to your example and explain why this could be a dilemma. Then, provide the most effective strategy mental health professionals can use to mitigate the dilemma and justify your selection. Finally, as a future mental health professional, explain some of the concepts in the field of psychopharmacology in which you would like to explore the role further to gain more knowledge.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the
Learning Resources.
Preston, J. D., O’Neal, J. H., & Talaga, M. C. (2017). Handbook of clinical psychopharmacology for therapists (8th ed.). Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
Chapter 1, “Introduction” (pp. 3–14)
Chapter 2, “Integrated Models” (pp. 15–27)
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2012h). The role of the mental health professional in psychopharmacological intervention [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
