Skinstad: Mental Health Class
Prevention and Early Intervention of Mental Health Disorders
Spring semester 2011
Curriculum developed by: Anne Helene Skinstad and Karen Summers
Prairielands ATTC
The Department of Community and Behavioral Health
University of Iowa College of Public Health
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
e-mail address:
Office hours:
Course summary
This course will provide students with information on prevalence of mental health
disorders as well as the characteristics of those disorders of relevance to public health practice.
There are great differences in the prevalence of mental health disorders among ethnic and
cultural groups, as well as between men and women, across the life span, and between socioeconomic groups. The course of these disorders varies at both the individual and community
level as a function of these factors.
Primary and secondary prevention programs at the community level will also be
considered in depth, as will methods to assess the need for such programs in diverse
communities. Students will receive an overview of assessment approaches and tertiary
treatment approaches to mental health disorders.
Course format
The course will be organized as a seminar; students will make class presentations on a
variety of topics.
Students will work in groups on specific issues relevant to the characteristics,
prevalence, and prevention and treatment of mental health disorders. They will focus on one of
three issues related to these disorders during the semester, 1) lifespan issues, 2) gender issues,
and 3) cultural issues. The course is divided into three sections and students will change their
focus twice during the semester.
Students will be expected to visit a community-based mental health center and share
their experiences in class.
Requirements
1) Weekly presentations on the chosen focus areas:
At the beginning of the term, students will be assigned a group with which they will
work the rest of the term. The focus areas for the daily group presentations will rotate among
life span issues, gender issues, and cultural issues every class period. The presentations should
be written and sent to Karen Summers by 8am the morning of the class. She will post the
presentations on ICON for students to download before class.
2) Main class presentation
Students are expected to make one presentation in class associated with the topic for
the day. The presentation should take about 30 minutes and include a power point presentation.
Before presenting in class, the student will be expected to provide a power-point presentation of
the research they have completed. The power-point presentation needs to be completed and e-
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Skinstad: Mental Health Class
mailed to the Karen Summers by 8am the morning of the presentation, in order for the
presentation to be posted on ICON.
3) Visit to a community mental health program for either prevention and/or treatment of
a mental health disorder.
Students are expected to visit a community-based prevention or treatment program for
mental health disorders. Students will be expected to write a short report on their visit,
accompanied by prevalence data and treatment/prevention programs offered, to the instructor
and classmates.
4) Term paper
Students will also be expected to complete a 5-10 page term paper on a topic of special
interest by the end of the term. The final paper should discuss in detail the focus area the
student has chosen, how they intend to evaluate the prevention needs of the community they
have chosen, and the means by which they plan to evaluate the effects of the intervention they
have in mind, based on the needs assessment they have outlined. The term paper should follow
the outline provided in class and the students should also use APA guidelines for referencing.
The following is the sequence students are expected to use in their papers. In addition,
students should also use the same or similar headlines in their papers.
a. Purpose of study:
i. Briefly present to the reader why you think this topic is
important to address.
b. Background/Introduction
i. Give an introduction to the topic you are intending to address
ii. Overview of known primary, secondary and tertiary prevention
and treatment approaches
c. Methodology if you are addressing a research project
d. Results: If you have results you would like to include
e. Discussion and implications for public health
f. Conclusions
g. Recommendations for the future.
Midterm and Exam
Students will have to complete a midterm and a final exam at the end of the semester.
The questions will be short answer questions and focus on the topic presented and discussed in
class.
Evaluation
Students will be evaluated on their class presentations, their written summary of their
weekly class presentation, the midterm and their final paper.
Mid- term:
20%
Main class presentation and weekly presentation s
15%
Final exam
30%
Term paper:
35%
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Skinstad: Mental Health Class
Expectations for students’ presentations: Students’ work will be evaluated on the basis of
inclusion of important issues such as:
1. Prevalence of the disorder presented
2. Prevention issues
3. Treatment issues
4. Special lifespan, gender, cultural issues
5. Discussion of important issues for public health
Required literature:
The required literature can be ordered through the IMU bookstore. The literature will
also be put on reserve in the Hardin Library.
American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.
(DSM-IV)
Levin, L.B., Hennesy, K.D., & Petrila, J. (2010). Mental Health Services: A Public
Health Perspective. 3nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press. (L, H, P).
Myers, D., & Wee, D.F. (2005). Disaster: Mental Health Services, New York:
Routledge. (M&W)
Recommended articles:
The recommended articles and reports listed here will be available from ICON.
Belfer, M.L. (2006). Caring for children and adolescents in the aftermath of natural disasters.
International Review of Psychiatry, 18 (6): 523-528.
Benedek, D.M., Fullerton, C., and Ursano, R.J. (2007). Annual Review of Public Health; 28,
55-68.
Bolton, J.M., and Robinson, J. (2010). Population-attributable fractions of axis I and axis II
mental disorders for suicide attempts: Findings from a representative sample of the
adult, noninstitutionalized US population. American Journal of Public Health; 100 (12),
2473-2480.
Bramesfeld, A., Platt, L., and Schwartz, F.W. (2006). Health Policy; 79, 121-131.
Escobar-Koch, T., Banker, J.D., Crow, S., Cullis, J., Ringwood, S., Smith, G., et al, and
Schmidt, U. (2010). Service users’ views of eating disorder services: An international
comparison. International Journal of Eating Disorders; 43 (6), 549-559.
Juang, L.P., and Alvarez, A.A. (2010). Discrimination and adjustment among Chinese
American adolescents: Family conflict and family cohesion as vulnerability and
protective factors. American Journal of Public Health; 100 (2), 2403-2409.
Keyes, C.L.M., Dhingra, S.S., and Simoes, E.J. (2010). Change in level of positive mental
health as a predictor of future risk of mental illness. American Journal of Public Health,
100 (12), 2366-2371.
Knox, K.L., Pflanz, S., Talcott, G.W., Campise, R.L., Lavigne, J.E., Bajorska, A., Tu, X., and
Caine, E.D. (2010). The US air force suicide prevention program: Implications for
public health policy. American Journal of Public Health, 100 (12), 2457-2463.
Merrilees, C.E., Cairns, E., Goeke-Morey, M.C., Schermerhorn, A.C., Shirlow, P., and
Cummings, E.M. (2011). Associations between mothers’ experience with the troubles
in Northern Ireland and mothers’ and children’s psychological functioning: The
moderating role of social identity. Journal of Community Psychology, 39 (1), 60-75.
Mustanski, B.S., Garofalo, R., and Emerson, E.M. (2010). Mental health disorders,
psychological distress, and suicidality in a diverse sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender youths. American Journal of Public Health; 100 (12), 2426-2432.
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Skinstad: Mental Health Class
NAMI Maine. (2010). Mental Health Services in Maine: A Blueprint for Action.
(NAMI)
Phelan, J.C., and Link, B.G. (2004). Fear of people with mental illnesses: The role of personal
and impersonal contact and exposure to threat or harm. Journal of Health and Social
Behavior, 45 (1), 68-80.
Phelan, J.C., Link, B.G., Stueve, A., and Pescolido, B.A. (2000). Public conceptions of mental
illness in 1950 and 1996: What is mental illness and is it to be feared? Journal of
Health and Social Behavior, 41 (2), 188-207.
Power, K.A. (2010). Transforming the nation’s health: Next steps in mental health promotion.
American Journal of Public Health, 100 (12), 2343-2346.
Roberts, A.L., Austin, B., Corliss, H.L., Vandermorris, A.K., and Koenen, K.C. Pervasive
trauma exposure among US sexual orientation minority adults and risk of posttraumatic
stress disorder. American Journal of Public Health; 100 (12), 2433-2441).
Rogers Wood, N.A. and Petrie, T.A. (2010). Body dissatisfaction, ethnic identity, and
disordered eating among African American women. Journal of Counseling Psychology;
57, 141-153.
SAMHSA. (2009). Action Steps for Improving Women’s Mental Health. Available from
https://icon.uiowa.edu/d2l/lms/content/preview.d2l?tId=1727430&ou=1114612.
SAMHSA. (2009). Family, school, and community interventions. Preventing Mental,
Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People: Progress and Possibilities.
Pp 157-190. Available from
https://icon.uiowa.edu/d2l/lms/content/preview.d2l?tId=1727411&ou=1114612.
SAMHSA. (2009). Implementation and dissemination of prevention programs. Preventing
Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People: Progress and
Possibilities. Pp 297-336. Available from
https://icon.uiowa.edu/d2l/lms/content/preview.d2l?tId=1727411&ou=1114612.
SAMHSA. (2009). Prevention of specific disorders and promotion of mental health. Preventing
Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People: Progress and
Possibilities. Pp 191-220. Available from
https://icon.uiowa.edu/d2l/lms/content/preview.d2l?tId=1727411&ou=1114612.
Snowden, M., Dhingra, S.S., Keyes, C.L.M., and Anderson, L. (2010). Changes in mental wellbeing in the transition to late life: Findings from MIDUS I and II. American Journal of
Public Health, 100 (12), 2385-2396.
Tsai, J., Stroup, T.S., and Rosenheck, R.A. (2011). Housing arrangements among a national
sample of adults with chronic schizophrenia living in the United States: A descriptive
study. Journal of Community Psychology, 39 (1), 76-88.
Watson, A.C., Ottati, V.C., Morabito, M., Draine, J., Kerr, A.N., and Angell, B. (2010).
Outcomes of police contacts with persons with mental illness: The impact of CIT.
Administration and Policy Mental Health; 37, 302-317.
Wilson, G.T. (2010). Eating disorders, obesity, and addiction. European Eating Disorder
Review, 18, 341-351.
Recommended literature:
Barlow, D.H., & Durand, V.M. (2009). Abnormal psychology: An integrative
approach, 5rd edition. Australia: Wadsworth, Thomson Learning (B & D).
Literature in the Public Domain.:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (1998). Substance Use
Disorders Treatment for People with Physical and Cognitive Disabilities: A Treatment
Improvement Protocol (TIP) 29. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse
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Skinstad: Mental Health Class
and Mental Health Service Administration. Washington: U.S. DHHS Publication No (SMA)
05-4078.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (1999). Blending
Perspectives and Building Common Ground. A Report to Congress on Substance Abuse and
Child Protection. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (2000). Mental Health,
United States. Washington: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Publication No.
(SMA) 99-3285.
Kendziora, K., Bruns, E., Osher, D., Pacchiani, D., & Mejia, B. (2001). Systems of
Care: Promising practices in children’s mental health: Wraparound: Stories from the field.
2001 series, Vol.1. Washington, D.C.: Center for effective collaboration and practice. American
Institute for Research.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (2002). Report to
Congress on the Prevention and Treatment of Co-Occurring Substance Abuse Disorders and
Mental Disorders. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Service Administration. Washington: U.S. DHHS Publication.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (2004). Mental Health
response to mass violence and terrorism: A training manual. Washington: U.S. DHHS
Publication No. SMA 3959.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (2005). Substance abuse
treatment for persons with co-occurring disorders: A Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP)
42. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service
Administration. Washington: U.S. DHHS Publication No (SMA) 05-3992.
Web-pages you need to bookmark for this class:
It is important for you to keep up with information on the following web pages this semester.
The web sites can also be found on blackboard’s external links page:
National Institutes of Health NIH): www.nih.gov
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): www.nimh.gov
National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): www.niaaa.nih.gov
National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA): www.nida.nih.gov
National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP):
http://nrepp.samhsa.gov
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA): www.samhsa.gov
Mental Health Network: jlm@athealth.com
National Association for the Mentally Ill: http://www.namiiowa.com/about.htm
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Skinstad: Mental Health Class
TENTATIVE CALENDAR
January
17
Martin Luther King Day
24
Introduction to the class schedule; goals and
objectives of the class
Mental health and mental disorders;
a historic perspective
Stigma of mental health disorders
31
B & D: 1
Representatives from the National Association for the Mentally ill (NAMI).
February
7
Legal and financial aspects of mental health
L, H, P: 2, 3
14
Prevention of mental disorders
L,H,P: 1, 6, 7, 16
21
Public Mental Health and the
recovery movement
L,H,P: 20, 16
28
Mental disorders in children
Mental health policy for children
Guest presenter:
L,H,P: 8,9,17
L,H,P:
Mental health disorders in adults
Mental health and disparities
L,H,P: 9.
L,H,P:19
March
7
Mid-term exam
14 – 20
Spring Break
21
Mental health disorders in older adults
L,H,P: 10,
28
Characteristics, etiology, prevalence, and course
of mood disorders
Prevention of suicide and homicide
DSM-IV: pp345-428
B & D: pp 228-232
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Skinstad: Mental Health Class
April
4
11
Characteristics, etiology, prevalence,
and course of anxiety
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Prevention of PTSD after natural
and man-made disasters
Characteristics, etiology, prevalence, and
course of psychotic disorders
Prevention, early intervention
DSM-IV: pp:429-484
B & D: pp: 112-153
M & W: 1
DSM-IV: pp 297-343
B & D: pp: 421-453
Deadline for the report from a community based mental health agency
18
Characteristics, etiology, prevalence, and
course of eating disorder
DSM-IV: pp 583-595
B & D: pp: 237-258
25
Mental health disorders and disaster
Stress response among first responders and
treatment personnel
M & W: 2,3
Empirically supported treatment for
mental disorders
Treatment of mental disorders within
the correctional system.
L,H,P: 14,15,
M & W: 4,5
May
2
9
L,H,P: 18
Exam
Deadline for term paper
7