How important is psychopharmacology in mental health services? How important is psychopharmacology to clients?

Discussion 1

How important is psychopharmacology in mental  health services? How important is psychopharmacology to clients? When  might there be a need for it? How do mental health professionals  generally perceive the need for psychopharmacological intervention? What  is your personal perception about the need for psychopharmacological  intervention in mental health services? Mental health professionals  grapple with these questions on a daily basis. As a future mental health  professional, consider how you will begin to answer these questions and  how your personal perception might influence how you serve client  needs.

For this Discussion, review the media  program “The Role of the Mental Health Professional in  Psychopharmacological Intervention” and consider all scholarly  perspectives concerning if or when there is a need for  psychopharmacological intervention in mental health services. Then,  explore a field in your profession where psychopharmacological  interventions might be warranted.

Post and describe one example  of where psychopharmacological interventions are warranted in mental  health practices. Explain the mental health professional’s role in the  example that you provided.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Discussion 2

Mental health professionals are charged with the  task of assisting their clients’ efforts in obtaining the best care  available to them. Often, this might mean making recommendations and  referrals, teaming with other medical and mental health professionals,  and developing and expanding competencies to meet the needs of their  clients. Although there are strict limits to some mental health  professional roles in reference to medication management, mental health  professionals can serve a vital role in the process.

For  this Discussion, review the media titled “The Role of the Mental Health  Professional in Psychopharmacological Intervention” and the Learning  Resources. Explore the limits of practice in psychopharmacological  intervention. Search your professional practice code of ethics and  consider how ethical dilemmas that arise in the course of treatment  might be mitigated. Check actual final video

By Day 4

Post an explanation of how  mental health professionals might prepare themselves to best work with  medical professionals in the example you provided in this week’s  Discussion 1 (include the need for using a signed release of  information). Next, identify a potential ethical dilemma for mental  health professionals related to your example and explain why this could  be a dilemma. Then, provide the most effective strategy mental health  professionals can use to mitigate the dilemma and justify your  selection. Finally, as a future mental health professional, explain some  of the concepts in the field of psychopharmacology in which you would  like to explore the role further to gain more knowledge.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the 

Learning Resources.

Preston, J. D., O’Neal, J. H., & Talaga, M. C. (2017). Handbook of clinical psychopharmacology for therapists (8th ed.). Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
Chapter 1, “Introduction” (pp. 3–14)
Chapter 2, “Integrated Models” (pp. 15–27)

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2012h). The role of the mental health professional in psychopharmacological intervention [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.