1. For each of the learning objectives, provide an analysis of how
the course supported each objective.
1. Discriminate among the mechanisms of action for the major
classes of drugs/medications
2. Critique evidence that supports proposed
pharmacotherapeutic protocols for appropriateness of
application across the lifespan
3. Integrate the teaching-learning needs of clients across the
lifespan when proposing pharmacotherapies
4. Propose prescriptive therapies for selected clients evaluating
safety factors while utilizing knowledge of how current health
status, age, gender, culture, genetic factors, ethical concerns
and prescriptive authority impact decision making
Explain how the material learned in this course, based upon the
objectives, will be applicable to professional application.
Provide evidence (citations and references) to support your
statements and opinions.
All references and citations should in APA format.
14
Mental Health and Social Work
Shanae Hampton
Cal Baptist University

2. Introduction
How well a person is able to live a full life, build and
maintain relationships and pursue their education, profession or
other pursuits requires them to maintain their well-being
ranging from physical to mental health. When assisting others
to achieve good and self-motivated changes, social workers
draw on their relationship-based abilities and emphasize
personalization and rehabilitation. A key issue is, "What
components and obstacles of an assessment are there in order to
reach these outcomes?" When it comes to health promotion and
public involvement, social workers are well-suited for this role
since primary care is all about these things. Social workers who
deal with mental health have unique challenges in assessment,
which necessitates them learning and using psychiatric
principles. Identifying the need for mental health care requires
an understanding of assessment principles.
For this research, the focus is on urban youth's increase in
mental health cases which is more influenced by lack of access
to mental health care as a result of poverty that affects many
children and families in the US. Young people are the most
impacted by poverty, accounting for 33% of the total number of
individuals in poverty. Children who live in "high risk
neighborhoods" are more likely to lack access to the mental
health supports they need to manage their symptoms.
Stabilization, individual treatment, and symptom management
are all important aspects of aftercare for children who have
been hospitalized for behavioral difficulties by the time they are
six years old (Hodgkinson, 2017).
Literature Review

3. Inequality based on race and class has been shown to be
associated with a variety of negative health outcomes, including
poor mental health. Increased financial disparity is associated
with an increase in the prevalence of mental illness along a
social gradient in mental health. However, psychiatric and
psychological approaches have dominated mental health
research and policy in the late 20th century and early 21st
century, masking the core socioeconomic factors. If left
untreated, most adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 who
live in low-income communities and are at high risk of
developing psychosis and other mental health issues are more
likely to continue to avoid supports and assistance in adulthood,
leaving them more at risk of committing crimes. community
health workers (CHWs) to bring evidence-based mental health
treatments to disadvantaged areas in the United States and in
low-and medium income nations Lau (2017). The background
characteristics of CHW, their role in intervention delivery, the
kinds of interventions they provided, and the implementation
assistance they got were all described in 43 publications (39
trials) evaluated. In most studies, CHW-delivered interventions
resulted in reduced symptoms. It is possible that training CHWs
to support the implementation of evidence-based methods will
aid in the reduction of inequities in mental health care (Cama et
al., 2017).
Communities across the world urgently need mental health
care. With children under the age of 18 Stigma and general
ignorance about how important it is for a person to be identified
and treated according to their symptoms are to blame for this
disparity in access to care. In addition to a lack of financial
means, additional problems may prevent children and their
families from obtaining the assistance they need. For example,
lack of resources to cater for medicine and therapy or lack of
insurance and lack of transportatio n limits the youth to access
mental health care. It is estimated that a six-year-old kid may
spend anywhere from five to fourteen days in the hospital in
metropolitan regions, depending on their symptoms and the

4. circumstances at home. Most youngsters are given a
prescription and a referral for aftercare if their parents have
given their permission for the drug. Urban regions have the
highest recidivism rates in the country because families don't
follow through with the treatment team's aftercare advice. The
lack of resources in metropolitan areas is the main cause behind
this.
People's mental health is an essential part of their entire
well-being (Demisse & Brener, 2017). Mental health disorders
affect about one in five youngsters at some point in their lives
(Moon, Williford, & Mendenhall, 2017). Children with a mental
health condition are unable to understand information, control
their emotions, and make decisions about how they behave,
according to the Centers for Disease Control. As a result of
these alterations, a child's overall functionality suffers (Brueck,
2016). It has been shown that five to nine percent of youngsters
in the United States have emotional or behavioral disorders that
prevent them from thriving in school. Ballard, Sander, and
Klimes-Dougan (2014) highlighted that different types of
discrimination, social isolation, harmful behaviors, aggression,
criminality, school dropout, and physical sickness have been
linked to mental illnesses in children and adolescents.
There are children in every school who are struggling with
mental health issues and are forced to endure each school day
on their own (Rossen & Cowan, 2014). A third of children and
adolescents diagnosed with mental health issues sought and
received assistance through "counseling, medication, therapy, or
other evaluations," according to the National Institute of Mental
Health (Brueck, 2016). However, research has revealed that the
number is considerably lower among minorities (Gamble &
Lambros, 2014). The lack of mental health care for young
people is a major problem and indicates that there is an
increasing demand for more accessible treatments (Brueck,
2016). For children and adolescents, schools are the ideal place
to begin enhancing access to mental health specialists, since
they spend the majority of their week at school (Moon et al.,

5. 2017).
Around 21% of Americans are classified as adolescents or
young adults. Many young individuals with mental health issues
continue about their day-to-day routines. When it comes to
maturity, young individuals have to cope with aging and other
milestones in addition to their mental health difficulties.
Between the ages of 9 and 14, as well as 14 to 25, adolescents
and young adults are more prone to have mental health problems
than any other age group. Mental health is crucial at every stage
of life, from birth to maturity (Bluhm et al., 2014). Mental
illness is caused by a combination of emotional, psychological,
and social factors. People's mental health influences their
emotions, thoughts, and behavior. Mental health issues are
generally recognized as a major public health issue and an
urgent problem today.
It is imperative that people maintain their efforts to raise
awareness and combat mental health illnesses as mental health
concerns become more widespread among the younger
generation. Detection, awareness of causes and consequences,
and most importantly therapy may all be used to help prevent
this disease. Mental health concerns are just as important as
physical health in today's culture. Research can help existing
mental health experts and social workers develop adequate care
plans for people with mental illnesses. People with mental
illnesses and those who may be at risk benefit from treating
mental illness as a serious life danger. Mental well-being is just
as vital as physical well-being, and it should be given the same
priority as physical well-being. Increasing numbers of people
are suffering from mental health issues, and this is a growing
problem for future generations. Mental health should be a top
focus for healthcare systems because of its growing population
and the effect it has on individuals who suffer from it.
As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which resulted in
many people losing their employment, mental health illness has
become an epidemic especially for the younger generation.
When it comes to seeking help, mental health institutions have

6. become the norm. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to
treating mental health issues. These institutes accommodate
clinical psychologists, psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists, as well
as social workers, aides, and other support staff. Mental health
facilities' staffs work tirelessly to ensure that their patients get
proper therapy that fits their requirements (Richardson et al.,
2017). There is a problem, however, with the present treatment
methods since they don't reach everyone impacted. To properly
serve all people who are in need, more research must be done.
There have been several efforts to treat the mentally sick
throughout the history of mental health, and it seems that
society is continuously striving for the optimum therapy.
Despite the fact that some effective strategies are in place, that
is a good start. Medication and counseling are now the "most
effective" treatment options for mentally unwell people. Our
focus is on the whole population, not just a few individuals.
Impact of Mental Health Disorders
There are many ways that a mental health condition affects
a teenager or young adult's daily life. Young people's mental,
emotional, and physical development are affected by mental
health issues. A mental health problem, for example, might
make it difficult for students to study to their full potential in
the classroom. Research into the underlying causes of mental
illness may be aided by an understanding of the devastating
effects that mental illness has on those who suffer from it (Flatt,
2012). Mental disease has both causes and consequences, and
being able to decipher the underlying causes is essential for
early discovery and effective treatment. All adolescents and
young adults, regardless of their age, confront problems related
to their disease, whether they are socially or physically
impaired.
Social Impact
It is common to overlook the social factors that influence
mental health. Our social circumstances as human beings have
the ability to influence and affect our health outcomes. Social
factors play an important role in determining our mental health.

7. The health and well-being of young people now and in the
future are profoundly influenced by a myriad of factors,
including but not limited to those of the family, friends,
community, and culture in which they grow up (Viner et al.,
2012). It is difficult for teenagers and young adults to get the
assistance they need from their families, friends, and
communities because of mental health issues.
Adolescents. In the age range of 9-14, children afflicted
with mental health issues experience difficulties in their social
surroundings. Adolescence is a critical time in a teen's life
because of rapid growth. Development of adolescents is critical
to their maturation into healthy adults. Adolescents not only
struggle with mental illness, but they are also attempting to
mature into adults. Adolescents with poor mental health face a
number of challenges. After a few sessions of peer-to-peer
conversation, they'll start to see some differences between
themselves and their peers (Ewart, et al.,2017). The person will
begin to feel alone or out of place in their typical social circles
once they begin to identify the changes. Students with mental
health issues will negatively impact schools. Things that are
simple for most youngsters will become more difficult for the
individual as their learning progresses. When a kid has a
learning disability, they are segregated from their classmates
and put in a special education class. As a child, a teenager will
discover that they are different, and this will continue
throughout their adolescence.
Youthful Adults. According to the American Psychiatric
Association, about 1 in 5 individuals in the United States, which
is 43.8 million or 18.5 percent, suffer mental illness in a given
year. This figure is steadily growing. Young individuals
between the ages of 15 and 25 are particularly vulnerable to the
social consequences of mental illness. This is a crucial period in
the lives of many young people. For many young people with
mental illnesses, the struggle to be "normal" extends well
beyond just finishing high school and getting a job.
At some point in their life, millions of young people may

8. endure social isolation or judgment from their peers as a result
of mental health issues. One of the most important aspects of
adult life for young people is socialization. They may thrive on
the company of their peers, but poor mental health might push
them farther away from these relationships (Ewart, et al.,2017).
Young folks will be perplexed as to why they are being treated
differently or behaving strangely. Additionally, being "different
or perceived with a problem" is a source of shame and
embarrassment for many young people.
Memory loss, exhaustion, and a lack of attention are all
common symptoms of mental illness. It is difficult for young
individuals with mental health concerns to find or hold a job,
much alone get one. Those who suffer from mental illness are
less likely to perform at their best (Kawhol, 2016). Because
people's mental states aren't operating at full potential, they
may struggle with productivity and time management. Those
with mental health concerns, such as schizophrenia, bipolar
disease, or even drug misuse, face obstacles because of poor
mental health. Because they are constantly exposed to the
public, these illnesses might operate as a barrier to success.
It's already a sensitive topic for young people when it
comes to love and relationships. Many teenagers and young
adults at this time of life are eager to begin or deepen personal
connections. Mental health issues may affect relationships and
love. When it comes to finding a romantic partner, a young
person's mental health might present issues. There are certain
people who aren't going to comprehend or support a person's
hardships. A terrible relationship may exacerbate the symptoms
of a disease or even cause depression in some people (Griggs,
2017). While it's possible for someone with a mental illness to
have a healthy relationship, it's not always possible. During
stressful circumstances, a strong connection may be a great
source of support.
Mental diseases have an impact on not just romantic but
also familial connections as a whole. Mental illness has a
significant impact on families, causing stress and worry, as well

9. as major changes in their daily routines. Family members prefer
to assume the job of day-to-day caretaker for their loved ones
(Richardson et al., 2017). Families often assume the
responsibility for their loved one's care without enough help or
understanding on how to properly care for their own health and
well-being. In contrast, family members who have got the right
training and assistance are able to provide stability and support
to their loved ones. Hope, relief, and care are provided by
family members, and these results are excellent.
Physical Impact
Those effected with mental illness live a shorter life span
by 25 years than those whose are unaffected (Simon, 2014).
This is believed due to the number of contributing factors of
one’s mental health and physical health. Those who are living
with mental health disorders face the impact of mental illness
with both physical and mental illness coinciding together.
“According to a study conducted, it has been determined that 14
percent of global physical health conditions correlates with
psychiatric disorders” (Seckel, Seacat & Nabors, 2016). This
ideology is comparable with psychiatric disorders causing
problems in an individual’s physical health. Battles with
physical ailments led to mental health disorders as well as the
other way around (Yung, 2016). Adolescents and young adults
can find treatment for either their mental or physical illness,
currently in health care there isn’t a method of treatment to
proper resolve both.
Conclusion
The term "health" encompasses an individual's physical,
mental, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being. Mental
health is often overlooked since its symptoms aren't as clearly
defined and evident as those of physical health, particularly in
young people. This complicates the identification of a mentally
ill individual and necessitates a greater degree of attention to be
devoted to their symptoms. The study explains the epidemic of
mental health problems that have arisen in our modern culture,
particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the

10. findings of the study, human services, particularly social work,
must develop a framework to deal with the problem. When it
comes to caring for families and employees' mental health,
social workers have been employing the methods mentioned in
this article for a very long time. In order to guarantee the
patient's desire to participate in the assessment process, it is
essential that the setting in which the assessment takes place be
favorable depending on the diagnosis.
A client with a mental disease may benefit from a mental
health examination if it may help determine what could
constitute a successful result. Personal and interpersonal
objectives may be assessed in terms of a client's capacity to
fulfill them in order to improve their overall quality of life and
mental health. Mental health illnesses are plaguing today's
young people, according to an assessment of the research. For
these two populations there are mental health treatments
accessible, however they don't match their demands Mental
illness can be prevented if it can be brought to light, but it can't
always be prevented, and if it can't be prevented, there must be
suitable and efficient treatment options. There is no hope for
mental health diseases if research continues and mental health is
prioritized in the healthcare system.
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