Ebook: Behavioral Health Disability: Innovations in Prevention and Management

Behavioral Health Disability Innovations in Prevention and Management Pamela A. Warren It’s a frequent occurrence: a sick worker is treated for physical symptoms, but receives little care for the accompanying psychological problems. The employee is put on ineffective medication, is suspected of malingering, and never fully recovers. The authors of the Behavioral Health Disability attribute this no-win situation to systemic misunderstandings between medical and mental health providers, employers, and insurers—often despite earnest efforts toward integrative care. In its place, they set out a practical, evidence-based framework not only for more accurate evaluation and more effective treatment of conditions, but also better collaboration across specialties, with the legal and insurance systems, and with the workplace, resulting in fewer mental health disability claims, fewer “maintenance” prescriptions, lower costs, and ultimately better outcomes for clients. This book: • Represents the viewpoints of multiple treating professionals—primary care, occupational medicine, psychology, psychiatry, and rehabilitation medicine—as well as legal, employer, and insurer perspectives. • Identifies strengths and weaknesses in standard assessment, treatment, or policy for each specialty. • Examines referral, documentation, and compliance issues. • Describes the medicalization of psychosocial concerns, and how it can be avoided. • Includes strategies for addressing the individual’s return to work. • Offers recommendations for immediate and long-term improvements in disability case management. The Behavioral Health Disability provides groundbreaking guidance for the spectrum of professionals involved in psychiatric disability cases, among them health and clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, primary care physicians and rehabilitation specialists, clinical social workers, nurses, and insurance companies.

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The purpose of this book is to demystify the evaluation and management of common psychological disorders and psychosocial issues which impact all realms of medical and mental health practice. These types of issues are often seen as "medical quicksand" by treating professionals, employers, and insurers alike. Consequently, there is a system-wide avoidance of these disorders that significantly increase medical and disability costs. However, there is a considerable cost to individual and society as well in terms of the reduction in the quality of life of the individual and the high costs associated with chronic use of medical resources. It is essential to note the complexity of the psychiatric and psychosocial disability conundrum. This dilemma is not limited solely to short-term, minor problems but leach into the full spectrum of disability systems: private insurance, disability insurance, and federal programs for disabled persons. This book will provide innovative tools to confidently navigate the disability process by implementing, for the first time, true objective information coupled with the state-of-the-art evidence-based research. Thus, all individuals involved in the psychiatric disability process will be able to properly manage the process, optimize the treatment for an optimal outcome and avoid iatrogenic disability. In particular, the book will provide a clear evidence-based guidance for the evaluation and treatment process not only for individuals with obvious psychological problems, but for symptomatic individual with no discernable etiology or who simply never seem to get well.