Mental Health Screening Tools Essay

In my practicum environment at Kinston Community Health Center in North Carolina, we cater to different populations, comprising older adults, women, adolescents, and children. Besides, as a community health center, the facility meets susceptible people, comprising homeless clients and those experiencing mental health issues. Mental Health Screening Tools Essay

Mental health screening tools are vital, primarily when recognizing patients who may need psychiatric services. At Kinston Community Health Center, we use diverse screening tools for diverse mental conditions. Firstly, the facility uses Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) to examine anxiety manifestations and severity (Johnson et al., 2019). It encompasses seven queries linked to anxiety signs encountered over the past fortnight. Scores assist healthcare professionals in deciding the demand for interposition or further assessment.

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Further, Patient Health Questionnaire – 9 (PHQ-9) is utilized to screen and assess for depression (Costantini et al., 2021). It encompasses nine queries concerning depression signs encountered in the past fortnight and the scores of direct therapy resolutions and referrals. Mental Health Screening Tools Essay

Lastly, the Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination (SLUM) is invaluable when examining cognitive function and discerning early dementia symptoms (Alqurashi et al., 2022). It assesses memory, language, attention, and other cognitive areas. Notably, it is not exclusively a screening tool.

Moreover, the quality of care at my facility is laudable. Its behavioral health professionals perform holistic clinical evaluations, contemplating a patient’s whole life contexts to discern diagnoses and therapy plans. It focuses on cognitive-behavioral perspectives and other curative models to tackle personal and family problems. Also, the facility’s substance abuse services use evidence-based methods, highlighting that addiction is just a challenge or problem to conquer. Mental Health Screening Tools Essay

Discrepancies and prejudices continue to plague the facility and the whole system since people like the homeless encounter hurdles to ingressing care (Hossain et al., 2020). To improve screenings within the groups, the following changes are suggested. Firstly, community education and outreach such as amplified awareness where the facility can partner with community centers and local shelters to raise awareness about mental health screening. Also, mobile clinics can be used to get to homeless people. Mental Health Screening Tools Essay

Further, extended hours and incorporated care can also be implemented. This means these screenings can be incorporated into primary care. Also, hours for the mental health units can be extended to handle emergencies.

In sum, by executing these transformations, the facility can improve mental health ingress, decrease biases and prejudice, and enhance results among susceptible populace. Mental Health Screening Tools Essay

References

Alqurashi, Y. D., AlHarkan, K., Aldhawyan, A., Bahamdan, A., Alabdulkader, A., Alotaibi, R., … & Ghamdi, K. A. (2022). Association between nap duration and cognitive functions among Saudi older adults. Frontiers in neuroscience, 16, 917987.

Costantini, L., Pasquarella, C., Odone, A., Colucci, M. E., Costanza, A., Serafini, G., … & Amerio, A. (2021). Screening for depression in primary care with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9): A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 279, 473-483.

Hossain, M. M., Sultana, A., Tasnim, S., Fan, Q., Ma, P., McKyer, E. L. J., & Purohit, N. (2020). Prevalence of mental disorders among people who are homeless: An umbrella review. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 66(6), 528-541.

Johnson, S. U., Ulvenes, P. G., Øktedalen, T., & Hoffart, A. (2019). Psychometric properties of the general anxiety disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale in a heterogeneous psychiatric sample. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 449461. Mental Health Screening Tools Essay

MENTAL HEALTH CARE IS OFTEN INITIATED IN THE PRIMARY CARE SETTING. SCREENINGS ARE A CRITICAL PART OF IDENTIFYING CLIENTS WHO MAY REQUIRE PSYCHIATRIC CARE. CAREFULLY READ THE QUESTIONS BELOW AND ADDRESS EACH IN YOUR INITIAL POST.

Application of Course Knowledge

Identify your clinical practicum setting (Kinston Community Health Center at Kinston NC.) and a population that you typically see (All type of population children, adolescents, women, older adults). Mental Health Screening Tools Essay

Discuss mental health screening tools used at your clinical site. If no screening tools are currently used, which ones would you recommend? (Example we use frequently for a new patients or patient with diagnostic of depression Anxiety screening, and Depression screening and for patienr that are coming for Medicare preventive visit we use SLUM for dementia)

Describe the quality of the mental health care you have observed. Discuss disparities or biases, if any, in the care provided to different members of the population. Mental Health Screening Tools Essay

Screening opportunities are often missed in vulnerable populations (because we are a community center, we saw many homeless patients and patients with many mentals problems. Kinston Community Health Center have a mental health department that works also in emergency hours IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT) and those with limited access to care.

Describe at least TWO changes you recommend in your practice setting and community to increase the frequency of mental health screenings within vulnerable populations. Mental Health Screening Tools Essay