Social Work and Mental Health: Evidence-Based Policy and Practice (Original PDF)

This is the first textbook to examine the lack of understanding of the roots of mental illness, the challenges in classification of mental disorders for social workers, and difficult behavioral manifestations of mental illness. By looking at the flaws and disparities in the provision of mental health services, especially in relation to the criminal justice system and homelessness and mental illness, social work students will be able to apply policy and practice to improve mental health care in their everyday work. A focus on the lived experiences of the mentally ill and their families, along with the experiences of social workers, adds a unique, real-world perspective.

Key Features:

• Delivers a clear and accessible overview and critique of social work in the broader context of mental health care in the US
• Reviews historical and current mental health policies, laws, and treatments, and assesses their impact on social services for the mentally ill
• Investigates racial and ethnic disparities in mental health provision
• Incorporates the experiences of people with mental illness as well as those of social workers
• Offers recommendations for future social work development of mental health policies and services
• Includes Instructors Manual with PowerPoint slides, chapter summaries and objectives, and discussion questions
• Addresses CSWE core competency requirements