What gaps might exist in your state’s mental health policies, and what is your ethical responsibility in addressing these gaps?

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MenuWeek 6:
Mental Health and Managed Care
Psychology professionals historically provided mental health services, but, over time, social work professionals have emerged as the largest service providers in this area. The social work profession brings a unique perspective to mental health and managed care. Its focus on environmental factors and their importance in both the assessment and intervention phases is one example of how the social work profession has influenced mental health care. Despite these influences, gaps in care still exist within the mental health care system. How might you, as a social worker, respond to the challenges these gaps in care present? What gaps might exist in your state’s mental health policies, and what is your ethical responsibility in addressing these gaps?This week, you explore the gaps in care within the mental health care system and develop suggestions for how to address the challenges the system faces in providing care. You also examine the specific mental health policies for your state and analyze the ethical responsibilities of social workers in mental health care.

An educator wants to compare the effectiveness of computer software for teaching biology with that of a textbook presentation.

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Learning biology with computers
An educator wants to compare the effectiveness of computer software for teaching biology with that of a textbook presentation. She gives a biology pretest to each of a group of high school juniors, then randomly divides them into two groups. One group uses the computer, and the other studies the text. At the end of the year, she tests all the students again and compares the increase in biology test scores in the two groups. Is this an observational study or an experiment? Justify your answer.Thank you for your answer! ^_^

Nellie Lumpkin, who suffered from various illnesses, including dementia, was admitted to the Picayune Convalescent Center, a nursing home.

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Nellie Lumpkin, who suffered from various illnesses, including dementia, was admitted to the Picayune Convalescent Center, a nursing home. Because of Lumpkin’s mental condition, her daughter, Beverly McDaniel, filled out the admissions paperwork and signed the admissions agreement. It included a clause requiring the parties to submit to arbitration any disputes that arose. After Lumpkin left the center two years later, she sued, through her husband, for negligent treatment and malpractice during her stay. The center moved to force the matter to arbitration. The trial court held that the arbitration agreement was not enforceable. The center appealed.
1 Should a dispute involving medical malpractice be forced into arbitration? This is a claim of negligent care, not a breach of a commercial contract. Is it ethical for medical facilities to impose such a requirement? Is there really any bargaining over such terms?
2 Should a person with limited mental capacity be held to the arbitration clause agreed to by her next of kin who signed on her behalf?

To seek shelter from the competitive storm, Marcus Welby Hospital (MWH) is considering forming a joint venture with an existing for-profit HMO.

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To seek shelter from the competitive storm, Marcus Welby Hospital (MWH) is considering forming a joint venture with an existing for-profit HMO. MWH would be given 30 percent ownership of the privately held HMO, and each of its five board of trustees members would be given 1 percent ownership, in exchange for MWH contributing $10 million in capital funds, which is 35 percent of the HMO’s appraised net worth. Since the HMO already owns its own nursing home, MWH will raise the capital by selling its nursing home. MWH will receive 30 percent of whatever profit distributions the HMO board chooses to make from time to time and the trustees will receive their 1 percent shares. MWH also hopes to increase its patient base for hospital admissions and to secure a better bargaining position for reimbursements from the HMO, but the HMO is making no promises about where its subscribers will be sent for hospital care, nor how it will pay MWH for hospital services to its subscribers.
Assume that MWH has articles of incorporation similar to Queen of Angels’ only covering nursing home as well as hospital services, and that it has received only general, unrestricted gifts from donors. Also, assume there is no other management or personal connection between MWH and the HMO.

  • What issues would you want to alert the hospital board to concerning whether this is a permissible venture, and how the HMO can use its capital funds?
  • Would these parties be advised to have the HMO pledge some portion of its revenues to pay for charity care services at MWH?
  • question2.Complete the Problem on page 459 in the text. Submit your solution to your instructor. See page 380 for a general description of Marcus Welby Hospital .Marcus Welby Hospital has decided to form an HMO in which it wants to give physicians a major stake, in order to foster allegiance and encourage cost-effective treatment. You are consulted as a legal and management expert to advise the hospital on the consequences of forming the HMO as a nonprofit versus a for-profit entity.What are the relevant considerations with respect to tax exemption, the ability to raise capital, the role of physicians, and operational constraints
  • question 3.Complete the Problem beginning on page 484 of your text titled “Problem: Economic Credentialing” in a two page paper.. Submit the completed assignment to your instructor. See page 380 for a general description of Marcus Welby Hospital .