Evaluation of a Mental Health Treatment Court with Assertive Community Treatment 1. This article studied the effect of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) versus Treatment as Usual (TAU) on the life satisfaction ratings, psychological distress, level of functioning, substance use issues, and criminal activity of mentally ill residents of the Santa Barbara County Jail. The study administered four instruments to measure these variables. They used the Behavioral and Symptom Identification scale, the Lehman Quality of Life Scale, the Addiction Severity Index and the Global Assessment of Functioning to measure the effects of treatment.
They also viewed arrest records to obtain criminal activity information. 2. A true experimental design was used. Participants who met the criteria for the study where randomly assigned to a control group, which received Treatment as Usual and a treatment group that was provided Assertive Community Treatment. Assessments were given at the start of the program, in six-month intervals, and then at the end of the program.
This indicates a time trial type of method, but a pre-test and post-test were conducted. 3. Repeat offenders in the county jail who had been diagnosed with mental illnesses where the population studied. 4. The study indicated that inmates who received ACT and TAU both showed improvement in all areas studied. They found however, that participants in the ACT group reported higher levels of success in reducing drug problems and gaining independent living skills.
The Essay on The Community Mental Health Act of 1963
The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 Introduction Community mental health center act of 1963 was a significant milestone in America’s record of mental health rights. On 31st October 1963, the act was signed into a regulation by President John F. Kennedy. The law was the pioneer among other many federal policy alterations that helped ignite a significant transformation of the ...
This would help me in my profession, as I may be able to work in a jail and help repeat offenders become more independent and have fewer drug problems by providing them with Assertive Community Treatment. Effectiveness of Brief Counseling in Reducing HIV risk behavior in Injecting Drug Users… 1. This article studied the effect of Brief Counseling on the risk behavior of injection drug users entering heroin detoxification treatment. Participants were recruited based on counselor availability, were given a pre-test, randomly assigned to receive either a 50-minute counseling or a packet of educational brochures.
A post-test was then administered after three months to see if the individuals had participated in less HIV risk behavior. HIV risk behavior was measured using a questionnaire at pretest and again at subsequent follow-up interviews. 2. This study was a true experimental design and used the pre-test / post -test format.
The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups, given a treatment, and then post-tested. 3. As mentioned above, the population studied was heroin users entering a detoxification clinic in San Francisco. 4. The study did not find significant differences between those assigned to counseling or those who received educational brochures in the reduction of risk behavior. The data indicated that both groups reduced their high-risk behavior and participated less in the activities identified on the questionnaire as high-risk for HIV.
I believe that a number of factors could have influenced the participants such as participation in the detoxification program itself, etc. I feel that this study will help me as a professional because I am aware that I may be able to help injection drug users lower their HIV risk behavior by providing them educational brochures or by providing them with Brief counseling regarding the matter.
The Essay on At-Risk Program for Alcohol and Drug Use
When observing the schools in our communities, many choose not to notice that there is a serious problem concerning drug and substance abuse within the student population. Drug and alcohol abuse has become a serious problem for many students in the state of Alabama. There are over 40,000 adolescents in the state of Alabama that have used illegal drugs in this past month (Inspirations for Youth and ...