Counselors in Group Homes Analysis

Counselors in Group Homes

Analysis of Work Environment

Social and Cultural Composition of Population

Theoretical Links

Informed Consent and Acknowledgement of Patient Rights

Theoretical Links

Strategies to Ensure Confidentiality

Theoretical Links

Analysis of Ethical Dilemma

Racial Disparity

What Mental Healthcare Workers Are Doing

What Patients belonging to Minorities are Doing

Issues with Information Sharing

Required Decision Making Process

Decision Making Process

The main aim of the paper is to analyze the work environment of chosen mental clinic. How the patients are treated in the clinics, what practices are being observed, what behaviors are being observed in the clinic in dealing with the patients, what cultural practices are being observed in the clinics and what kind of ethical dilemmas are being seen in the chosen work environment. It is important that the ethical considerations being followed in the work environment as how the patients and mental health professionals behave in the mental clinics is important. Mental clinic is the place where the most sensitive and vulnerable population of the patients are present who need the best of behaviors and guidance.

An important fact that needs to be highlighted here is that based on current reports, there is an increase in evidence-based practices being followed in mental healthcare. Three main aims that are to be achieved by the help of evidence-based practices include an increase in quality, accountability, as well as effectiveness in mental healthcare.

Part 1: Analysis of Work Environment

This part of the paper will take into consideration the cultural and social composition of the mental clinic along with ethical codes that are being observed in the clinic. It is important to highlight here that the ethical codes being followed in mental clinics are the ones that directly affect incoming patients (Johnson, 2007, p. 56). Ethical codes that are important to be followed in the mental clinics are to be outlined in a theoretical manner as well. The main difference in the theoretical ethical codes and actual ethical standards being followed will be taken into account.

1. Social and Cultural Composition of Population

An important fact that needs to be highlighted here is that incoming patients in mental clinics are from different ethnicities, races, and cultures. Thereby here it can be highlighted that incoming patients have a vast cultural, ethnic, and geographical diversity. Thereby it is important that incoming patients be dealt by keeping in mind the fact that the patients are to be dealt by considering their cultural limits and requirements.

The observations have shown that the population of metal healthcare workplace is a culturally diverse one. There are a great number of patients who are from local areas along with a small proportion that belongs to different regions and countries. Based on a great geographical distribution of the mental patients, it can be seen that the culturally diverse populations are more of a challenge to the metal healthcare workforce. It is observed that among these patients, a great proportion is that of Hispanics as well as African-Americans.

Most importantly, it was observed that the assessments and treatments being given to the general whites were not being offered to the Hispanics and the African-Americans. Thereby racial disparity was seen in the clinic. The kind of beds and facilities that were being allotted to the Whites were not available for the Hispanics and the African-Americans. Although all the mental healthcare workers are aware of the fact that healthcare disparities are not to be followed or observed in the mental healthcare or any healthcare professions. Still prejudices based on races and ethnicities are seen in the clinic.

Theoretical Links

Other than the geographical diversity, another important fact that has been seen in the mental healthcare environment is that based on the great cultural diversity within the clinic. The patients are seen to be following their own cultures and religions. It has been seen that the authorities of the mental healthcare has given an open freedom to these patients to observe their religious and cultural practices (Bredeson, and Goree, 2011, p. 33).

Some of the main ethical considerations that are being followed in the mental healthcare workplaces are important to be highlighted here. It is important that the cultural backgrounds of the patients are taken into consideration with all respect. Assessments and treatments that are chosen for the patients should be in accordance to the cultural and religious backgrounds of the patients. The metal healthcare professionals should be more aware of the cultural backgrounds, the cultural requirements that the patients may have, religious requirements and backgrounds, and in relation to these, the lifestyle, ethnic differences, goals, aims, and community life. For better efficiency in mental healthcare, it is importantly that additionally, bilingual communication and resources, healthcare advocates, and interpreters should be employed (Roberts, and Dyer, 2004, p. 29). An important fact that needs to be highlighted here is that mental healthcare workplaces should employ appropriate linguistic and cultural advocacy systems that can help the healthcare providers as well as incoming patients. It has been reported that within the mental healthcare systems, the healthcare workers should be more aware of the interactions that take place between races, cultures, notions of mental healthcare, mental health problems and their interventions. It has been reported that the mental healthcare workers should be more aware of the cultural diversity of the patients in relation to their linguistic diversity and make sure that these diversities are properly accessed and approached. For this main aim, it is important that appropriate arrangements be made so that the diversity can be understood and properly communicated (Backlar, and Cutler, 2002, p. 78).

Second important part that has been highlighted by the authors is that while working in mental healthcare workers should be able to work in collaboration with the other healthcare workers. This collaboration can help in an increased understanding of the cultural diversity of the patient's along with the requirements that they have based on their diversity. It is important that the assessments that are carried out in the mental healthcare environment are in accordance to the cultural requirements of the patients and these sensitivities and the workers should know requirements. It is important that the communication with the patients must be effective and the lines of communications must be extended with the family members in the presence of bilingual counselors and communicators. It is important that culturally diverse allies should be included in the workforce based on which an understanding of cultures can be made easier (Barker, 2011, p. 90).

A great impact is seen of the cultures on the healthcare practices being followed. One of the main questions is that the medical schools and the curriculums being followed in the medical schools do not focus on the cultural diversity of the patients. It is important that the mental healthcare professionals are more culturally sensitive understanding the main requirements of the culturally diverse patients.

2. Informed Consent and Acknowledgement of Patient Rights

Within the observed metal healthcare environment, it is seen that the workforce makes sure that the treatment plans as well as mental healthcare assessments that are being carried out are carried out based on an informed consent on the family members of the patent. It is understood in the workplace that the patient rights are understood at the bets level. One of the main facts that has been realized by the workforce is that as the patients belong to the more diverse cultural backgrounds and the mental states of the patients is very vulnerable thereby it is important that all rights of the patients are taken care of. Being a mental healthcare worker, it has been realized at the clinic that some of the main rights that the patients have include being treated nicely, being assessed in a detailed manner whereas the assessments are more based on the culturally sensitive patterns.

Theoretical Links

It is important that the mental healthcare workforce properly acknowledge the patients' cultural backgrounds. Cultural values and beliefs are very important to be acknowledged (Helmchen, and Sartorius, 2010, p. 76). It is important that the mental healthcare workers are aware of the impacts that the patients" social, cultural and linguistic backgrounds have on the communication that take place between the patients' and the mental healthcare workers.

It is important that the rights of the individuals who are mentally ill should be promoted and these rights should be made aware to all mental healthcare workers within the mental healthcare facility. Within the rights of the mentally ill patients, the cultural, linguistic, spiritual, age and gender differences and religious diversity should be included. For the mental healthcare workers, it is important that they should increase awareness of mental patients, family, and friends in regards to the rights that they have. Within the mental healthcare facility, when there are children who are facing mental illnesses should be treated well and they should be made aware of the rights that they have. Mental healthcare professionals have some limitations in their expertise and knowledge, as they are not fully developed in their professions. Thereby it is important that the professionals in the field must ask for additional advice.

Patient rights also include a freedom towards observing their lives in the clinics in accordance to their cultures and ethnic backgrounds. It has been mentioned that racial disparity is one of the main issues in the clinic so the freedom being given to the already mentally vulnerable patients is lesser that is having a negative impact on their well-being (Lloyd, King, and Deane, 2008, p. 38).

3. Strategies to Ensure Confidentiality

One of the main facts that need to be highlighted here is that the mental healthcare professionals should be aware of the rights of the mentally ill people. One of the main responsibilities that the mental healthcare professionals should have is to make improvements in the mental health of the patients. Patient recovery is the main aim in these cases.

In the mental clinic, it was observed that any treatments and assessments that are to be designed and decided upon are being shared with only the family members. To make sure that the confidentiality is achieved, the information shared with the patients or the family members are not shared with anyone outside the office of the healthcare provider. On the other hand, the second main fact that was observed in the mental health clinic was that file maintenance was being ensured in the case of the patients who belonged to the White backgrounds and the level of secrecy was lesser in the case of the patients who belonged to more culturally diverse backgrounds. The racial and ethnic disparity is one of the greatest issues being seen in the mental clinic. Caretakers that are being assigned to the Hispanics and African-Americans are also Hispanics or African-Americans. Although this is the example of racial disparity being observed in the clinic but there is one underlying advantage. It is seen that the cultural practices of the caretakers are the same as that of the patients based on which the development of understanding between the caretakers and the patients is higher. The disadvantage in this case is that the knowledge and awareness of caretaking sensitivities is lesser in Hispanics and African-Americans based on which the quality of the care in racially different patients is lower. White caretakers are more educated and privileged based on which the quality of care is better in White patients. Information that is being shared with the Hispanics or African-American caretakers is seldom kept confidential based on lesser awareness in lesser privileged caretakers. Opposite is the case with the White and more privileged caretakers in the mental clinic. The sharing of important information thereby is under a great racial and ethnic influence.

Theoretical Links

Sharing of information and confidentiality include the issues that are most important to the career of the mental healthcare professionals as well as the patients. For the medical healthcare professionals, it is important that the healthcare providers or caretakers are kept in mind in all the discussions that involve confidential information sharing between the patients and healthcare providers (Nelson, 2003, p. 28). It has been reported by many authors that if healthcare providers or caretakers are excluded from the discussions of confidential levels, there can be serious financial, medical, practical, as well as personal consequences for the mental healthcare professionals.

There is no doubt about the fact that mental illnesses are the kind of illnesses that require a full time caretaker with a patient. In mental healthcare, it is important that all patient related information is shared with the caretaker. It is to be seen that the mental healthcare providers and the staff must be aware of the fact that the caretakers are the ones who know the patients best as they are with the patients all the time. Thereby it is important that the caretakers are kept in the loop. On the other hand, in regards to the need of confidentiality required in the mental healthcare professions, it is important to realize that mental illnesses can cause sudden changes in the situations and to these situations, all caretakers are supposed to respond. One of the main facts that has been highlighted by the authors is that mental healthcare is represented by an increased partnership between patients and healthcare providers (den Exter, 2009, p. 49). Difference of opinion is the main subject of mental healthcare and these are to be shared with the caretakers.

Part 2: Analysis of Ethical Dilemma

The ethical situation being observed in the mental clinic has been observed with all its details in the section above. More importantly, the actual situation has been compared with the required theoretical ethical consideration by the help of creating theoretical links. Following are some of the main ethical dilemmas that are observed in the work environment.

1. Racial Disparity

Reports that have been recently published have shown that between 1990 and 2000, 25% of the population increase in U.S. was based on racially diverse people. More than 43% of the people in U.S. belong to ethnicities that are non-English language speakers. One in ten Americans is foreigners now. Based on these facts, it is important to see the great diversity in ethnicities and races of people and population of U.S. (Valfre, 2004, p. 55). This is the same ethnic and racial disparity being seen inside the mental healthcare facilities in the modern days. On the other hand, it is important that the mental healthcare professionals realize the fact that the culture of patients as well as the caretakers has an important influence and impact on healthcare provision in mental clinics.

What Mental Healthcare Workers Are Doing

One of the main ethical dilemmas that has been seen in the chosen mental clinic relates to the ethical and racial disparity faced by the Hispanics and the African-Americans. Racial and ethnic minority populations in the mental clinic are based on the following facts.

1. The patients belonging to different races and ethnicities are the ones that do not get an easy and equal access to healthcare in mental services (Bhugra, and Malik, 2010, p. 78).

2. Necessary mental health services that are required by the mentally ill patients are not provided to the patients based on races and ethnicities.

3. It has been seen that the patients receive poor treatments and assessments as compared to the patients who belong to a majority of White population.

4. The patients in the mental clinic settings are underrepresented and are not treated well.

5. The most important fact that has been seen in the setting is that related to the caretakers assigned to the patients. It has been seen that caretakers are from the same ethnic background as that of the patient based on which although understanding between the patient and healthcare provider is better but confidentiality is at stake. Caretakers from different ethnic backgrounds are the ones who are less privileged and have lesser knowledge about information sharing based on which information sharing is less confidential. Any knowledge that is shared between the caretaker and patient is lesser confidential.

What Patients belonging to Minorities are Doing

The ethical dilemmas are not only seen at the end of the mental healthcare service providers but the responsibility lies at the end of the patients as well. The patients, same as in the case of the caretakers, are less privileged and have lesser information in relation to the use and access to the health services. Within the mental healthcare setting it is seen that the patients who belong to the minorities are lesser aware of the ways in which the healthcare services are to be used. In the mental clinic setting, it has been seen that the patients belonging to the minority often misuse the healthcare services or often do not take the required assessments and treatments. A great delay in seeking the treatment has been seen at the end of patients who belong to the minorities as Latinos, Hispanics, and African-Americans (Elder, Evans, and Nizette, 2009, p. 38).

2. Issues with Information Sharing

The second main issue that has been seen in the selected mental clinic is that there is a great risk being taken in the confidentiality needed between the patients and caretakers or mental healthcare workers. It has been seen that the information and knowledge as well as the awareness of the caretakers belonging to ethnic and racial minorities is lesser especially in the case where increased confidentiality is needed. Information sharing in the patients, patients' families, and caretakers of the patients is very important (Johnson, 2007, p. 55). Complete secrecy is to be ensured and it should be ensured that all information must be kept between the patients, families and their caretakers. But in the mental clinic setting it has been seen that the caretakers are lesser informed based on which information is at a risk of being shared outside the clinics.