Mental Illness and Continuum of Care in the Health Sector of New York
Human services is intimately linked with care for mentally ill patients. Managers use case management theory in order to "produce apartment dwelling consumers of mental health services" (Floersch, 2002:2). Using this definition of continuum or care sometimes called "community reintegration" case management serves as a means of de-institutionalizing patients and "ensuring shorter hospital stays"; successful continuum of care programs are often measured by their ability or capacity "to divert patients from hospitals to community resources and centers' (Floersch, 2002:4). Case management helps link mentally ill clients with social and medical services; it also helps increase independence and promotes independent living among the mentally ill (Floersch, 2002). Among its goals include decreasing the number of necessary hospitalizations each year (Floersch, 2002). To accomplish this many caseworkers rely on case management models based on evaluation studies (Floersch, 2002). The continuum of care is also referred to as a concept that links the divisions of the Department of Social and Rehabilitation service together, providing clients a means of self support and self care, and refers to the various services th
The social work licensure bill S7711-A/A11761-A was recently made law in 2002, taking effect in September of 2004(Cadwaler, Wickersham & Taft, 2005). This law requires the Board of Regents to guide the NY State Education Department in developing standards and administering the law (Cadwaler, Wickersham & Taft, 2005). The law also encourages that social work organizations and schools meet certain standards. Certified social workers in the state are replaced with the title "licensed master social worker" under the law; with this definition a new scope of practice is defined suggesting that the role of the licensed master social worker includes "professional application of social work theory, principles and methods" to help asses, evaluate and formulate plans of action for mental health patients (Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, 2005:5). Overview and Major Concerns/Future Sector The New York State Education Agency is heavily involved in licensing and education of mental health workers in the state of New York. The New York State Office of Mental Health and the U.S. Department of Labor also oversees much of the regulations surrounding licensure. Managed care has raised a number of concerns in recent hears with regard to the mental health sector (MHA, 2005). Under managed care most patients are concerned with the fact that their financial and clinical responsibility has been transferred to "protracted mental health treatment protocols" which may involve "overly restrictive interpretations of medical necessity and impose arbitrary limits on the amount of care" (MHA, 2005). Such limitations may prevent adequate coverage. As such it is vital that soc
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Approximate Word count = 1122
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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