1. PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL WORK
Presented by
YATHEESH BHARADWAJ HS
1ST YEAR MPHIL PSW
DIMHANS

2. CONTENT
Basic Concepts in Psychiatric social work
Historical Development in Psychiatric social work
Social reform movements in India
Social work methods

3. WHAT IS SOCIAL WORK ?
• To a layman - any one who
performs some good deeds for the
people is doing social work or doing
voluntarily without taking money.
Scientific view - Social work is a professional practice which critically
involves professional knowledge, skills, tools and techniques for
dealing with human behavior

4. • Social service: any aid or assistance provided by society to enable its members
to optimally actualize their potential to perform their rules and responsibility
effectively in the society.
• Social action: social action is defined as effort to bring about changes in current
social practices or situations through education, propaganda, persuasion and
pressure.
• Social welfare:Social welfare is organized system of social service and institutions
designed to help individuals and groups to attain satisfactory standard of life
• Social movement:Social movement is an organized attempt by a number of
people united by a shared belief to effect or resist changes in the existing social
order by non-institutionalizes means.

5. It is concerned with individual and social problems which are
solved by applying different methods and techniques.
As a practice giving much emphasis on social adjustment.
 main objective is to help the individuals to become self-
dependent
It aims at permanent solution of problems and prevention of their
occurring through proactive measures.

6. Integrates and coordinates the means and resources of social
development.
 Believes in democratic values.
 Based on humanitarian philosophy

7. SCOPE OF SOCIAL WORK

8. • A specialized branch of Social work
• Concerns with theoretical knowledge + clinical work of Psychiatry
• Application of social work methods and its practices in every field of
Psychiatry
• It is both an ART & SCIENCE

9. PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL WORK
• Supporting
Providing therapy
 Coordinating the care of individuals who are severely mentally ill
Hospitalization or other types of intensive psychiatric help

10. Psychosocial and risk assessments
Individualized and group psychotherapy
 Crisis intervention and support,
Care coordination
Discharge planning services.
(employed - from intensive inpatient wards to outpatient psychiatric clinics)
PSYCHIATRIC SOCIAL WORK

11. PSW – A NOBLE AND A
CHALLENGING PROFESSION !
• Challenging and very demanding profession
• Must work closely with individuals suffering from complex and hard to
manage conditions
• Deep emotional distress/danger to themselves or others
• Encounter difficulties –resources/support

12. • Purpose - to help the people with problems of the mind and/or with
behavior problems
(result of the need felt and its realization)
More Effective when understand social and environmental factors
Professionally trained Psychiatric Social Worker - qualified member of
psychiatric team treating comprehensively the patients with psychiatric
disorders or behavioral problems

13. NEED FOR PSW IS INCREASING!!
• Utilize social work principle, techniques for the purpose of diagnosis, patient
care and treatment
• Plan the rehabilitation of the patients in the family and in the community
• Provide other services to mentally challenged people like therapeutic
treatment, social rehabilitation, crisis intervention or outreach services in the
community
• Works in close association with psychiatrist, child guidance clinics, social
services department as a team in the psychiatric hospital
(SW Services -> Curative /Correctional/ Preventive Developmental)

14. MEDICINE ALONE DOESN’T WORK
ALWAYS!!!
• Psychiatric patients cant be treated from Medicines alone.
• Treating patients require a MULTI DISCIPLINARY TEAM
PSYCHIATRISTS
PSYCHAITRIC SOCIAL WORKERS
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS
PSYCHIATRIC NURSES
PHARMACISTS
SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS
PHYSIOTHERAPISTS
LEGAL CONSULTANTS Etc

16. BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL MODEL
• 4P factor model – 1. Predisposing risk factors
2. Precipitating risk factors
3. Perpetuating risk factors
4. Protective factors
• Should include BIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS

17. MAJOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Individual Evaluation and Assessment:
develops patient evaluations or court letters based on patient interviews and
interviews of family members, friends, and other contacts in the community
 describes psychosocial functioning
 nature and extent of disability
potential for rehabilitation
 assessment of dangerousness

18. 2. Treatment and Discharge Planning:
participates as a member of a treatment team
develops and implements discharge/aftercare plans for all patients
assists patient in planning return to community
arranges needed resources for continuing care
 identifies, coordinates, and plans for financial needs of patients

19. 3. Counseling:
conducts individual, family, and group therapy sessions to reach therapeutic
goals determined in consultation with the treatment team; trains students and
interested staff in various therapy techniques.
4. Documentation of Services
maintains ongoing documentation of social work intervention, planning, and
outcome by preparing reports and making necessary entries to treatment plan
documents.

20. 5. Liaison Functions:
• Initiating and maintaining necessary contact with the patient's family, the courts,
Psychiatric Security Review Board, district attorneys, human resource agencies,
mental health agencies, parole and probation personnel, residential care facilities,
and related resource and regulatory agencies
• Provides support and consultation to community service providers in the form of
guidance and counseling; compiles data and conducts studies on program
effectiveness via follow-up of discharged patients

21.  Working on Case History Taking and diagnosis of the mental
disorders
 Assessment of psychosocial problems and plan for psychosocial
interventions
 Working with groups through Group Psychotherapy
 Psycho education for Individuals, Families and Groups
 Working with couples through Marital therapy
 Working with families through various approaches of Family
Therapy

22. • Psychosocial Rehabilitation of persons with Chronic Mental Illness
• Extending services for Community Mental Health for promotive and preventive
aspects of mental health problems.
• Psychosocial care in Disaster Mental Health
• Make Home visits as part of treatment process
• Undertake research activities in the areas of psychiatric social work
• Preparing documentation in field of psychiatric social work
• Awareness of legal and administrative issues involved in psychiatric social work

23. SW METHODS USED IN PSW
Primary methods:
1. Social Case Work
2. Social Group Work
3. Community organization
Secondary methods:
1. Social action
2. Social welfare administration
3. Social work research

24. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSA) FOR PSW
Knowledge : normal and abnormal human development and
behavior.
• recognized treatment interventions such as behavior modification;
family, group, and individual psychotherapies; psychosexual
education; substance abuse interventions;
• use of medications.

25. SKILLS
developing and maintaining a therapeutic relationship with mentally ill
patients
communicating with patients and families who may be experiencing distress
conducting and teaching individual, family, and group therapies
Psycho-education regarding various aspects of mental illness
Interviewing
preparing clear, concise written case narratives and reports

26. ABILITIES
• work with resistive, acutely, and chronically mentally ill
• understand and reduce the effects of institutionalization on patients
• understand organizational systems
• Ability to work as a team member
• assess the level of dangerousness of patients and the potential for explosive
behavior
(potential of a person to do something)

27. LIMITATIONS FOR PSW IN CURRENT
SCENARIO
Curriculum is based on the western pattern, sometimes it doesn’t suit for Indian
scenario
Most of the psychiatrists & general doctors are not well aware of the role,
importance and the need of social workers
No functional identification properly; but others are properly defined
Problem of role ambiguity
Lack of strong regulatory authority
Low recognition in the society
Heavy workload no proper boundary for their field