Mental Health And Social Work

Mental Health and Social work is a practice course that focuses on a biopsychosocial understanding of mental wellbeing and mental illness from a social work and social environment perspective. It gives special attention to the social work view in relation to the person-in-environment and other classification systems available to the practitioner. The course emphasizes an appreciation of the critical influence of culture, class, race and ethnicity, religion, and social values of the individual, family, group, and social institutions in the assessment of client strengths and vulnerabilities. The course critically reviews current classification systems and major theories regarding the nature of mental disorders, their diagnoses and etiologies, and the treatment approaches available to help people in their recovery.

COURSE AIM
The central purpose of this Mental Health course is to address the dominant themes in the field of mental health.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the course the student should be to;

• Recognize and identify a symptom of mental illness
• Conceptualize a “symptom cluster” in a manner that enables them to establish a diagnosis.
• Compare and examine symptoms and diagnoses in reference to the DSM criteria to conduct a differential diagnosis
• Understand the theoretical frameworks underpinning and informing social work practice in the field of mental health
• Develop collaborative and mutually agreed on intervention goals and objectives that are evidence informed, strengthen client capacity and well- being through assessments that identify strengths and address obstacles.
• Recognize current best practices in mental health and how this concept is applied.