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 Summary:Assessment and Treatment of Serious Mental
Illness
A Proficiency in Professional Psychology
Brief Description
The Assessment and Treatment of Serious Mental Illness is an area of practice
emphasis possessed by psychologists who work with persons with conditions of an
emotional or behavioral nature that lead to severe impairment in major areas of
functioning such as vocational capacity, social relations, or the ability to live
independently. The conditions receiving attention from psychologists who emphasize
this practice area tend to be persistent, episodic, or long lasting. Services
are designed to assess the nature and causes of the impairments and to implement
interventions that reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life for the target
population.
Specialized knowledge
In addition to the foundation of knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for
licensure as a professional psychologist, psychologists who desire to gain this
proficiency obtain added educational experiences relevant to working with the
seriously mentally ill in the following areas:
Historical development of the concept of serious mental illness
Diagnostic signs and criteria, prevalence and incidence rates, and co-occurring
other disorders
Characteristic course of the various disorders and typical functional
limitations
Etiological variables, including evidence from genetic studies, the contributions
of environmental factors, birth complications, neruopathophysiology, and neurotransmitter involvement
Specialized assessment procedures including functional assessment, behavioral
analysis, psychosocial assessment, disability assessment, and neurposychological assessment
Psychopharmacology for the seriously mentally ill
Psychopathology of serious mental illness
Psychosocial models of treatment and of rehabilitation
Features of a variety of available systems of care
Models of prevention
Distinctive legal and ethical issues and challenges in work with this
population
Persons and Groups Served by the Proficiency
Those who are served by the APA Proficiency in the Assessment and Treatment of
Serious Mental Illness include a variety of persons with persistent, pervasive,
and enduring mental and emotional conditions that seriously limit participation
in one or more areas of ordinary life. In addition, those who are proficient in
the skills of this practice area also work with family members of the patients
and collaborate with other professionals and workers who become involved in care.
Among the conditions that are the main focus of this area of practice emphasis
are those such as:
Schizophrenia
Schizo-affective disorders
Severe disorders of mood (mania and profound depression)
Other less common but nonetheless very debilitating mental and emotional
conditions
Problems and Challenges Addressed by the Practice Emphasis
Failures at self care
Thought disorders including delusions, ideas of persecution, non-logical
flights of ideas
Out of control impulsive behavior
Greatly impaired productivity
Problem filled, crisis ridden, poor, or nonexistent social relations
Suicidal ideation and attempts
Intense mood swings
Inability to conform behavior to social norms
Procedures of Practice Employed
Many strategies and procedures exist within the field of the Assessment and Treatment
of Serious Mental Illness psychology for addressing the problems faced by those
so impaired and by those who relate to them. Some of the principal ones include:
Design, implementation, and evaluation of service programs and models
Functional analysis of behavior
Psychotherapy
Rehabilitative skill training
Family counseling
Risk assessment and risk management
Psychoeducational techniques of specific applicability to the population
Occupational and vocational rehabilitation and education
Crisis intervention
Consultations regarding appropriateness of various medications
Relapse prevention and planning
Neurocognitive rehabilitation
Leadership of interdisciplinary treatment/rehabilitation teams
Providing forensic testimony as needed
Policy analysis and advocacy
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