How to Make Public-Sector Care Work
One hundred and fourteen of 150 psychiatry residency directors surveyed throughout the United States were asked to rate the importance of a list of tasks for delivery of care in the public sector. Below are 16 tasks the directors identified.
Establish an appropriate role on a multidisciplinary team. | |||||
Treat both substance abuse and mental illness for patients with dual diagnoses. | |||||
Recognize the symptoms of interaction between psychiatric medication and illicit drugs. | |||||
Adapt treatment strategies to accommodate patients' cultural beliefs. | |||||
Integrate psychiatric intervention with psychosocial rehabilitation. | |||||
Assume leadership of a multidisciplinary team. | |||||
Interact with staff of supportive housing programs in caring for your patients. | |||||
Assess the appropriateness of referring a particular patient to a clubhouse or sheltered workshop. | |||||
Work with Assertive Community Treatment teams. | |||||
Determine whether behavioral problems of a prisoner stem from an underlying psychiatric disorder. | |||||
Counsel a patient with private insurance who has exceeded insurance limits on available public-sector options. | |||||
Maintain a rapport with patients who rely heavily on alternative therapies. | |||||
Help homeless patients move toward permanent housing. | |||||
Provide ongoing treatment in unconventional settings. | |||||
Determine whether a patient charged with a low-level offense should be considered for a jail-diversion program. | |||||
Develop a comprehensive treatment plan for a felony offender with a chronic psychotic disorder as an alternative to incarceration. | |||||
