Understanding Severe Mental Illness and Societal Impacts

A severe mental illness (SMI) is an assembly of mainly psychotic conditions that are, by description, extensive and related to compromised societal functioning. As stated by the surgeon general’s report of 2010, one out of five adults, or nearly 40 million Americans, suffer from some type of psychological disorder annually.

In addition, about five percent of the U. S population suffers from chronic mental disorder for instance, bipolar, major depressive disorders, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders, (Surgeon General Report, 2010). Most individuals with severe mental ailments have a co-occurring substance abuse disorder.

Valuations propose that up to 8 million grownups in the US have a mixture of at least one co-occurring psychological condition and substance-related illness in a yearly.

In comparison to individuals with a primary mental or substance abuse disorder, individuals with co-occurring disorders tend to be more symptomatic, have multiple health and social problems, and require more costly care, including inpatient hospitalization (Center for Mental Health Services and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2000).

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Many are at increased risk of homelessness and incarceration. Of the 10 million adults who enter US jails each year, about700, 000 of them have co-occurring disorders (United States Department of Justice Statistics, 1997).

In 2000, the Centre for NHS Service Delivery and Organization’s research identified the need for a number of systematic improvements to the continuing care processes for vulnerable groups of patients, including those with co-occurring disorders (Fulop et al. , 2000). For example, there has been a lot of deinstitutionalization. Rather than hospitals attempting to meet the health and social needs of patients, this task is now carried out by a variety of primary and secondary health and social care providers.

These agencies, often times driven by inadequate resources and limited well trained medical personnel have led to several concerns about untoward incidents involving people with SMI. Repeated official inquiries have linked such concerns to failures to coordinate patient care. (Fulop et al. , 2011). Continuity of care has therefore assumed particular significance in the US behavioral health system and as such, a bill mandating improve delivery and sustainability of care for people with co-occurring disorders will protect, promote and preserve better mental health for residents in Arizona.

This bill will: Mandate primary and secondary health care providers to collaborate strongly with clinical institutions to ensure both coordination and sustainability of care to the severe mentally ill. Provide alternative activities of daily living to people with severe mental illness thereby redirecting them from forms of misconduct and eventual jail time. Ensure improve quality of care for people already diagnosed with co-occurring disorders which will lead to treatment and rehabilitation to normal life. Reduce homelessness as those properly treated will gain employable skills and find work.

The passing of this bill will come at a time when many organizations and the general public have shown interest in working together to provide better services to the mentally ill in our community. The Arizonan Department of Health has a Division of Behavioral Health that collaborates with Regional Managed Care Providers: RBHAS (Regional Behavioral Health Agencies) to provide coordinated care for behavioral health recipients, the Center for Human Rights also partners with hospitals and health providers to protect and ensure fair treatment of people with mental illnesses as well as the US federal government through its increased funding for mental health diagnosis and treatment.

After the shooting in Tucson, and the recent mass shooting of children in Connecticut, the Colorado theater , and the recurrent shootings in Fort Hood, the public is more willing to support and advocate for improved coordination of care for the mentally ill, especially people with co-occurring disorders.

Health and migration laws have been long standing in us politics,its an ongoing process and batlle. TheUnited States is in the midst of a heated debate on immigration policy, and a renewed debate on health care reformhas also begun in anticipation of the 2008 presidential election. Both of these debates present an important opportunity to revisit health policies affecting immigrants and to craft solutions that are grounded in evidence about the vulnerability of immigrant groups and the potential consequences of lack of access for their health and the health of the nation.

To do so, however, will require serious consideration of how various provisions of the immigration and health reformproposalsmight interact to affect immigrants’ access to health care. On the immigration reform side, what will temporary work visas and time limits on stays mean for immigrants’ health care access and experiences? What are the implications for immigrants’ health and mental health of provisions barring families from immigrating with a worker?

Provisions that expand opportunities for legal residency and citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the Assignment Grading Criteria Bill Proposal Research various modes of health care delivery systems and analyze how they promote and support the health care needs of vulnerable populations. Outline a bill intended for your local legislative representative describing your selected mode or modes of delivery and explain how it will promote and support vulnerable populations. Content 12 points possible Points available Points earned

Explains needs of vulnerable populations in health care Describes the rationale for the proposed bill to include the selected mode of delivery 5 Contains an analysis of current health care delivery systems States the benefits of the proposed bill Identifies resources that support and promote the needs of vulnerable populations 5 Defines necessary terms and identifies any provisions of the proposed bill 2 Format 3 points possible Points available Points earned Follows rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation Has a structure that is clear, logical, and easy to follow.