PSYCH257 Chapter Notes - Chapter 16: Community Mental Health Service, Parens Patriae, Insanity Defense
1 Apr 2013
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Chapter 16: mental health services: legal and ethical issues. Person in need of help can voluntarily request admission to a mental health facility, get evaluated by a mental health professional, and be accepted for treatment. When the person does not voluntarily seek help, then one or two physicians or psychiatrists will conduct an assessment to agree that the person meets the criteria for commitment outlined in the jurisdiction"s legislation. Mental illness: term formerly used to mean psychological disorder but less preferred because it implies that the causes of the disorder can be found in a medical disease process. A functional definition of mental illness would specify the effects of the illness on the patient"s thoughts and behaviours. Mental illness is not synonymous with psychological disorder; receiving a dsm diagnosis does not necessarily mean that person fits the legal definition of someone having a mental illness. Dangerousness: whether someone is a danger to himself, herself, or others.
