Mental Status Plan For A Newly Recruited Intern Counselor ✓ Solved

Mental Status Planyou Are A Newly Recruited Intern Counselor At A Corr

Devise an assessment and interview plan for Michael, a 50-year-old offender with multiple convictions, including drug possession, and positive drug tests at arrest. Include a review of his case history, components of a mental status examination (MSE), the selection of appropriate screening tools with rationale, and a set of at least 15 questions assessing his psychosocial history with rationales for each. Ensure your report addresses areas of need for his treatment plan, justifies your choice of assessment instruments, and explains your interview questions adequately. Support your reasoning with scholarly sources and apply APA standards for citations and formatting. The report should be at least 3 pages long, including a cover and reference page.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Assessing the mental health and psychosocial functioning of correctional offenders is critical in designing effective treatment interventions. Given Michael’s history of convictions, positive drug tests, and lack of prior addiction treatment, a comprehensive assessment plan is essential to address his mental health needs and to guide rehabilitation efforts. This paper outlines a structured approach to his mental health assessment, including a review of his case, components of the mental status examination (MSE), choice of screening tools, and a detailed interview plan focusing on psychosocial history.

Case Background Review

Michael is a 50-year-old male with five prior convictions, including disorderly conduct, attempted burglary, drug possession, driving under the influence, and receiving stolen property. His recent positive tests for marijuana and heroin at arrest indicate active substance use. Despite multiple convictions, he has never been treated for substance use disorder or mental health issues. His criminal history suggests ongoing behavioral challenges, possibly linked to underlying psychosocial and mental health problems. Understanding his background, social environment, and psychological state is essential for tailoring an effective treatment plan.

Components of the Mental Status Examination (MSE)

The MSE is a structured psychological assessment that provides a snapshot of a client’s current mental state. It includes several components:

  • Appearance: Observations of grooming, clothing, and physical abnormalities.
  • Behavior: Level of activity, cooperation, and eye contact.
  • Speech: Rate, volume, and fluency.
  • Mood and Affect: Client’s emotional state and appropriateness of affect.
  • Thought Process: Coherence, logic, and organization of thoughts.
  • Thought Content: Delusions, obsessions, or suicidal ideation.
  • Perception: Hallucinations or other perceptual disturbances.
  • Cognition: Orientation, attention, memory, and concentration.
  • Insight and Judgment: Awareness of problems and decision-making capacity.

Implementing a systematic MSE allows clinicians to identify mental health issues that may influence treatment outcomes, such as depression, psychosis, or cognitive impairments.

Selection of Assessment Instruments

Given Michael’s background, selecting validated and reliable screening tools pertinent to substance use and mental health is vital. The primary instruments include:

  • Addiction Severity Index (ASI): This comprehensive tool assesses substance use severity, medical status, employment, legal issues, family/social support, and psychiatric status (McLellan et al., 1992). Its multidimensionality makes it suitable for criminal justice populations.
  • Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI): Measures psychological distress across multiple symptom dimensions, including depression, anxiety, and hostility, providing a quick overview of mental health status (Derogatis & Melisaratos, 1983).
  • MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI): A structured diagnostic interview aligning with DSM-5 criteria, facilitating identification of psychiatric diagnoses (Sheehan et al., 1998). It helps clarify comorbid mental health conditions that may affect treatment.

The choice of these tools is justified by their demonstrated validity, brevity, and applicability to correctional populations, aligning with best practices in forensic mental health assessments.

Interview Plan and Psychosocial Assessment

The interview will include the components of the MSE, complemented by targeted questions exploring Michael’s psychosocial history. The purpose is to identify factors influencing his mental health, substance use, and criminogenic needs.

Key Domains and Sample Questions with Rationales

  1. Family History: “Can you tell me about your relationships with family members growing up?” Rationale: Family dynamics influence mental health and coping mechanisms.
  2. Education and Employment: “What was your educational background, and what kind of work have you done?” Rationale: Helps assess social stability and vocational history.
  3. History of Substance Use: “When did you start using drugs, and what substances have you used?” Rationale: Establishes pattern, onset, and severity of substance use.
  4. Legal and Criminal History: “Can you describe your previous offenses and how they impacted your life?” Rationale: Understands criminogenic factors and patterns.
  5. Mental Health History: “Have you ever experienced feelings of depression, anxiety, or hallucinations?” Rationale: Screens for underlying psychiatric conditions.
  6. Current Stressors: “What are the main challenges you’re facing right now?” Rationale: Identifies acute stressors influencing mental health.
  7. Social Support System: “Who do you rely on for emotional or practical support?” Rationale: Social support impacts recovery and relapse prevention.
  8. Substance Use Triggers: “What situations or feelings make you want to use drugs?” Rationale: Guides intervention strategies for relapse prevention.
  9. History of Treatment or Therapy: “Have you ever received counseling or medical treatment for mental health or substance issues?” Rationale: Identifies treatment gaps and openness to intervention.
  10. Personal Goals and Motivation: “What are your goals for the future?” Rationale: Enhances motivation for treatment adherence.

Conclusion

The structured assessment approach outlined above, integrating a thorough MSE, validated screening tools, and targeted psychosocial questions, will provide a comprehensive understanding of Michael’s mental health and social functioning. Such an assessment will inform individualized treatment planning aimed at addressing his substance use, mental health issues, and criminogenic needs to promote rehabilitation and reduce recidivism.

References

  • Derogatis, L. R., & Melisaratos, N. (1983). The Brief Symptom Inventory: An introductory report. Psychological Medicine, 13(3), 595–605.
  • McLellan, A. T., Cacciola, J. S., Alterman, A. I., et al. (1992). The Addiction Severity Index. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 9(3), 199–213.
  • Sheehan, D. V., Lecrubier, Y., Sheehan, K. H., et al. (1998). The MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI): The Development and Validation of a Structured Diagnostic Psychiatric Interview for DSM-IV and ICD-10. Joint Publications of the NIH and World Health Organization.

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