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Eastern Florida State CollegeAdvanced Applied Health Sciences

Louis VanderlickEastern Florida State CollegePalm Bay, Florida 32909

Date: April 21, 2015To: Professor Elko, Associate Professor of English Dr. Iannotti, Program Coordinator Advanced Applied Health Sciences ProgramEastern Florida State College

Subject: Letter of Transmittal for Research Paper

Professor Elko and Dr. Iannotti,

Attached is a report on a mix of common entry and intermediate-level professions in the mental health care field that are supported by the Allied Health Care degree. I have professional experience in this field, which has granted me insight and understanding while compiling this report. Details on many aspects in this particular field, including history, training and education, job outlook, and other factors involved in starting a successful career in the mental health care field are included.

I hope you find this report informative and useful.

Sincerely,

Louis Vanderlick

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Understanding and Beginning a Career in Mental Health Care

Louis Vanderlick

Eastern Florida State College

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Table of Contents

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………….4

Introduction………………………………………………………………………..5

Definition and History of Allied Health and Mental Health Care………………6-7

Career Choices in the Mental Health Field……………………………………...7-8

Compensation, Job Availability, and Outlook…………………………………..8-9

Common Difficulties and Controversies……………………………………...…...9

Why Major in the Field…………………………………………………………...10

Things to Consider…………………………………………………………..........10

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...10

Annotated Bibliography with References…………………………………......11-13

Appendix 1………………………………………………………………….…14-15

Appendix 2………………………………………………………………..………16

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Abstract

Presented in this report is a collection of information that illustrates many of the broader points of beginning a career in the mental health field, as well as some common advancement options. Information presented includes a brief history and definition of the mental health care field, as well as the Allied Health Care field in general. Also presented is job outlook for many entry-level careers within this field, and typical advancement options for those jobs. Controversies and concerns relating to this topic in the media and in law, as well as the potential future of the industry are also covered.

In addition to this, more opinionated questions about the mental health field, such as why this field provides careers that are worth pursuing, what impacts it has and potentially could have socially and economically, and what common drawbacks there are in this field are answered.

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Introduction

This report provides an in-depth look at many of the options available to students studying to obtain a BAS in Advanced Allied Health Sciences at Eastern Florida State College. Presented here is information on job growth, availability and requirements, as well as academic requirements for various careers within Mental Health Rehabilitation. Further information includes the social and economic effects of Mental Rehabilitation, as well as the pros and cons of committing to this particular career path.

The information contained in this report is important to students completing their degree in Advanced Allied Health Sciences, and who think they may be interested in the mental health, psychology, or sociology career paths that will be available to them.

Ideally, students may use this information to help them decide what career path to follow. The information presented in this report will hopefully convince future health care workers to consider joining the mental health care field.

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Definition and History

When talking about the Allied Health Care Field, as well as the mental health care field, it is important to know and understand exactly what these terms mean and where they come from.

Allied Health Care Defined

In the medical field it is estimated that “only about one-third of the health care workers providing patient care today are doctors, nurses, or dentists” (Kacen, 2005, p. 1), while the other two-thirds is made up of Allied Health Care workers, who are responsible for providing “medical testing, patient education, rehabilitation services, and many other—often highly specialized— functions” (Kacen, 2005, p. 1). Kacen also states more specifically that Allied Health Care workers are also often responsible for the “identification, evaluation, and prevention of diseases and disorders; with dietary and nutrition services; and with rehabilitation and health system management (Kacen, 2005, p.1).

Allied Health itself does not have a clearly defined and agreed upon definition, but for the purposes of this report, the American Medical Association’s description of the field, published as “a large cluster of health-related personnel who fill necessary roles in the healthcare system” (Kacen, 2005, p.2), is the most concrete and accurate definition available. Workers in the broad field of Allied Health Care are often described as Allied Health Paraprofessionals, further emphasizing the notion that Allied Health Care is simply a broad category for the large section of the Health Care field that perform many essential duties alongside professionals with much more specific roles and educational backgrounds. Examples of Allied Health Care professions today include

Dental Hygiene Psychiatric Technicians and Aides Health Administration Rehabilitation Counseling Physician Assistant Dietetics

Allied Health Care History

The Allied Health Care Field itself first seemed to appear when “significant improvements in medicine after World War II led to the development of sophisticated and complex medical diagnostic and treatment procedures” (Banova, 2013). Public demand for medical service increased and thus, so did the number of ways to deliver that service. During President Truman’s administration, the Commission on Health Needs published the first attempt at defining the Allied Health field, describing it as “personnel, other than physicians, dentists and nurses, who are engaged in investigation, treatment and prevention of disease and disability, and in the promotion of health by virtue of some special skill” (Banova, 2013). This matches up well with more recent definitions of the field.

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Mental Health Definition

Mental health is defined as a “state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community” by the World Health Organization. As such, it is the responsibility of the mental health care worker to direct their efforts towards improving these qualities in their patients.

Mental Health Care History

Mental health care has been around for centuries, though in some cases it would be very hard to correlate it with what is typically viewed as health care today. “Many cultures have viewed mental illness as a form of religious punishment or demonic possession” (Unite for Sight, Paragraph 2.), and “Egyptian, Indian, Greek, and Roman writings, mental illness was categorized as a religious or personal problem” (Unite for Sight, Paragraph 2.). It wasn’t until the 5th century B.C. that Hippocrates began to treat mental illness as separate from religion or superstition, and the field continued to develop from there. Fast-forward to 1909, and the National Committee for Mental Hygiene is established, later called Mental Health America (MHA), followed through American history by the National Mental Health Act in 1946, the Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Health Centers Construction Act in 1963, and “the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill was founded in 1979 to provide “support, education, advocacy, and research services for people with serious psychiatric illnesses”” (Unite for Sight, Paragraph 10.).

Despite its long history, Mental Health Care remains as one of the most challenging careers available, but also one of the most important and beneficial. It’s responsible for the quality of well-being in every aspect of a person’s life. Reaction to stress, dealing with other people, and even physical health and well-being are greatly influenced by the state of a person’s mental health. When mental health is unbalanced, a person is incapable of functioning “as a healthy, productive human being” (Kacen, 2005, p. 139).

Career Choices in the Mental Health Field

One of the most prominent questions on anyone’s mind, not just students, is what type of jobs are available, and where a job-seeker should start when attempting to enter into a chosen field. Also, most students will question if that field is worth getting into, and if the payoff will justify the time that was spent qualifying for it.

Most Careers in the Mental Health Field generally start at entry-level jobs, as listed below. These jobs function as invaluable training tools, exposing the new-to-the-field worker to many of the concepts, disorders, and techniques that would have been covered academically. These skills can then be taken and refined as progress is made towards whichever higher level position is available to pursue.

First Step - Entry Level Jobs

Some of the most common entry level career choices in the mental health care field include

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Psychiatric Technicians - participate both in the planning and implementing of individual patient treatment plans. (Kacen, 2005, p. 141)

Psychiatric Assistants - provide basic care for mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed individuals. (Kacen, 2005, p. 146)

Direct Care Professionals - actively assist clients in the participation, involvement and routine of their individualized program. (Devereux Foundation)

The running theme in these professions, and in almost all career choices in mental health care, is providing basic care and working with other professionals in the field to provide a standard of quality care to those who cannot provide that standard of living for themselves.

Taking it Further – Advancing in the Field

Advanced careers in the field include areas such as case-coordination, supervisor roles, and information management. Generally, there are many entry level positions across the board in Mental Health Care, with many advancement opportunities available with experience and further certification. These advanced roles include

Case Management – Provides holistic management for all levels of patient care, including things like benefits, weekly case plan development, progress monitoring, advocacy, and referrals.

Case Coordination – Responsible for arranging and securing services for clients, and direct clients to further social services resources.

Certified Mental Health Professionals – Provides Care for individuals on all levels, from basic care found in entry-level positions, to clerical and administrative duties such as maintaining information confidentiality.

Compensation, Job Availability, and Outlook

After deciding that a career in mental health care is appealing, the question that follows usually is in regards to compensation and job availability. This not only includes present statistics, but more importantly, future predictions for industry growth. Today’s market doesn’t mean much if the job will have next to no openings by the time students are educated and ready to enter into the workforce.

Entry-Level Examples

According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, the average entry-level wages for psychiatric technicians and aides, as of 2012, was a median pay of $27,440 per year, or $13.19 per hour.

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Most of the growth in this sector will take place due to the growing population of older people, who are generally more susceptible to cognitive illnesses than younger people (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014).

The best case for entering into these fields when looking for job growth is the unlimited amounts of on the job training and experience one can receive. Advancement into many advanced levels of mental health care, such as Social Work, Psychology, Psychiatry, and even Health Administration in a Mental Health Care facility are just a few options open to individuals looking to advance through entry-level positions. All of these advancement options provide much stronger outlooks and wages by comparison, and most of these options require very little additional schooling, if any, to be eligible for after gaining experience in the field.

Advanced Career Outlook

Case Management, referred to as Medical and Health Services Managers by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pays an average of $88,580 per year as of 2012, or $42.59 per hour. Average job growth for Case Management is much faster than average at 23%, and minimum requirements for this position are typically seen at Bachelor’s levels.

Case Coordinators, termed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as Social and Human Service Assistants, make money more in line with entry-level work, at a yearly average of $28,850 per year. Job growth is estimated at 22%, and advancement opportunities are more abundant than an entry-level position would be. Educational requirements range, but usually require either some college or experience, if not both.

Common Difficulties and Controversies in Mental Health Care

One of the most common issues and/or complaints about the Mental Health Care field is employee stress levels. According to an entry into the Journal of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, Gibb et al. states that “mental health work is inherently stressful and levels of work stress experienced by mental health nurses are especially high” (Gibb et al.). This in turn produces many symptoms of stress and stress-related illness in the Mental Health field.

Other difficulties in the field include low salaries and high turnover rates. Educational requirements can vary widely, from high school all the way through doctorates. Understanding of and adherence to health laws, including HIPAA, is crucial.

Furthermore, there is much controversy surrounding practices and forms of therapy in the Mental Health field, including a modified use of electroshock therapy, psychosurgery, and the use of medicinal tranquilizers on non-compliant patients. Intensive Residential Treatment Centers, which are questioned in relation to the type of community settings they provide, as well as abuse claims that are common in this type of treatment facility, are often the target of controversy.

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Why Major in the Field

This field is not for everyone. It’s a challenging line of work physically, mentally, and emotionally, no matter what area an individual may choose to specialize in. But it can also be one of the most rewarding in those same aspects.

There is a wide range of employers, including “medical hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, mental health facilities, community health centers, and rehabilitation centers. Facilities such as schools, detention centers, and government agencies” are also known to look for mental health workers as well (Careers in Psychology).

Advancement opportunities are another benefit of working in the field. Most high level positions can be reached simply by completing a small number of classes after obtaining professional experience, which tends to encourage further academic advancement, again providing room for professional advancement afterwards.

Additional Considerations

Work-life balance is a hugely important and poorly understood concept. It becomes easy to allow work to overtake one’s personal life as the job becomes more demanding and the individual becomes more stressed (Marsh, 2010). Also to be considered while working in any chosen career, are the benefits of inter-professional education, especially in Allied Health (Olson, 2014). As Allied Health Care is itself such a broad category, it allows for and in certain ways encourages learning about related fields to strengthen learning and team work between professions. This is especially true for mental health care.

Conclusion

Mental health care is a promising and diverse area of Allied Health. It provides many opportunities for entry to all levels of students, from entry-level to advanced degree-holding graduates. There are many drawbacks and hardships that can accompany this line of work, and for many lower level positions, it may seem difficult to get started. The field of mental health care itself is very selective, demanding tremendous amounts of strength from the minds and bodies of its professionals. However, it is very rewarding for those who persevere, and provides many open doors to future professionals who are passionate about the field.

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Annotated Bibliography

References

A Brief History of Mental Illness and the U.S. Mental Health Care System. (2012). Retrieved

April 16, 2015, from http://www.uniteforsight.org/mental-health/module2

This article provides valuable information on the history of mental illness

and treatment, ranging from ancient Egypt to modern North America.

Direct Care Professional (Mental Health Technician) in Viera, Florida, United States. (2015,

January 1). Retrieved April 9, 2015, from http://jobs.devereux.org/viera-fl/direct-care-

professional-mental-health-technician/9921ACCD04AB454E8BC31492BF8404BC/job/

This job posting for the Devereux Foundation is for an entry-level position in

the Mental Health industry, and highlights many common aspects and job

responsibilities involved in this field.

Gibb, J., Cameron, I., Hamilton, R., Murphy, E., & Naji, S. (2010). Mental health nurses’ and

allied health professionals’ perceptions of the role of the Occupational Health Service in

the Management of work-related stress: how do they self care?. Journal of Psychiatric &

Mental Health Nursing, 17(9), 838-845. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2850.2010.01599x

The article talks about research done on high rates of stress-related sickness found

in health care professionals, particularly in mental health nurses. Increased

clinical demand, long hours, low staffing and a lack of support from colleagues

and management are contributing to absenteeism, somatic complaints and mental

health problems.

Introduction to Allied Health Care - AIMS EDUCATION. (2013, March 5). Retrieved April 15,

2015, from https://www.aimseducation.edu/blog/introduction-to-allied-health-care/

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This website is maintained by the American Institute of Medical Sciences and Education,

And provides valuable information on the history of Allied Health Care, as well as a

listing of common career choices in the Allied Health Field.

Kacen, A. (2005). Opportunities in Allied Health Careers. New York: McGraw-Hill.

This book consists of twelve chapters ranging on subjects from what an Allied

Health career is to the future of Allied Health Care in general. The book attempts

to cover as many bases as it can, educating on subjects like education and

training, the need for Allied Health professionals, and the many common

occupations in Allied Health.

Marsh, N. (2010, May 1). How to make work-life balance work. Retrieved April 7, 2015 from

http://www.ted.com/talks/nigel_marsh_how_to_make_work_life_balance_work?

language=en

An important subject is discussed here as former power-businessman Nigel Marsh

talks about the subject of balancing work and home life. An important theme

presented here is being realistic about your situation and goals.

Olson, R., & Bialocerkowski, A. (2014). Interprofessional education in allied health: a

systematic review. Medical Education, 48(3), 236-246. doi:10.1111/medu.12290

The article focuses on the important study of inter-professional education as

an optimal learning experience in Allied Health. While still an incomplete field of

study, it has been shown that understanding of other professional health roles,

teamwork, and knowledge can be positively affected by this methodology.

Psychiatric Technicians and Aides. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2015, from

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/psychiatric-technicians-and-aides.htm

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This source comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, providing information on

Psychiatric Technicians and Aides, including median wages, educational

requirements, job outlook, and links to similar fields.

Reamer, F. (2011, January 1). Abuses in Programs for Struggling Teens: The Legacy of Scandal.

Retrieved April 16, 2015, from http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/blogs/abuses-

programs-struggling-teens-legacy-scandal

This article talks about a controversial subject in the realm of mental health,

which is the residential treatment center program model. More specifically,

the article talks about instances of abuse and mistreatment of struggling

teens in these centers.

Start a Mental Health Social Work Career. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2015, from

http://careersinpsychology.org/start-a-mental-health-social-work-career/

This website provides useful information on working in the Mental Health field,

as well as talking about why workers in this field are needed. While mostly

targeted towards a specific career choice, most of the information is relevant

to all levels of Mental Health Care.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2015, from

http://www.bls.gov/home.htm

A website run by the United States Department of Labor, providing detailed and

comprehensive information and statistics on jobs, job outlooks, wages, and more.

Appendix 1

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Tables from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Quick Facts: Psychiatric Technicians and Aides

2012 Median Pay$27,440 per year $13.19 per hour

Entry-Level Education High school to post-secondary education

Work Experience in a Related Occupation None

On-the-job Training Short-term on-the-job training

Number of Jobs, 2012 153,000

Job Outlook, 2012-22 5% (Slower than average)

Employment Change, 2012-22 7,600

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/psychiatric-technicians-and-aides.htm

Quick Facts: Medical and Health Services Managers

2012 Median Pay$88,580 per year 

$42.59 per hour

Entry-Level Education Bachelor’s degree

Work Experience in a Related Occupation None

On-the-job Training None

Number of Jobs, 2012 315,500

Job Outlook, 2012-22 23% (Much faster than average)

Employment Change, 2012-22 73,300

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http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm

Quick Facts: Social and Human Service Assistants

2012 Median Pay$28,850 per year 

$13.87 per hour

Entry-Level Education High school diploma or equivalent

Work Experience in a Related Occupation None

On-the-job Training Short-term on-the-job training

Number of Jobs, 2012 372,700

Job Outlook, 2012-22 22% (Much faster than average)

Employment Change, 2012-22 81,200

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-and-human-service-assistants.htm

Appendix 2Influential Mental Health Organizations

Devereux Florida – Organization devoted to helping individuals with emotional, behavioral and intellectual/developmental disabilities.

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Website: http://www.devereux.org

Mental Health America – The nation’s leading community-based non-profit dedicated to helping all Americans achieve wellness by living mentally healthier lives.Website: www.mentalhealthamerica.net

National Institutes of Health – “NIH is the largest source of funding for medical research in the world, creating hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs by funding thousands of scientists in universities and research institutions in every state across America and around the globe.”Website: www.nimh.nihh.gov

World Health Organization – International Organization whose primary role is to direct and coordinate international health within the United Nations’ system.Main areas of work include:Health systemsPromoting health through the life-courseNoncommunicable diseasesCommunicable diseasesCorporate servicesPreparedness, surveillance and response.Website: www.who.int