The Mental Health Professional in Long-Term Care

The Mental Health Professional in Long Term Care

 

As the population of the United States ages, more and more healthcare professionals find themselves treating elders – and there will be a significantly increased need for the services of psychotherapists in the years to come.

The Mental Health Professional in Long-Term Care

The Mental Health Professional in Long-Term Care is a new 2-hour online CE course that will provide a framework for providing care in a skilled nursing facility. It is intended to give the clinician an overview of the important aspects of long-term care that affect treatment; including the structure, organization and reimbursement system. The average resident and common treatment areas will also be discussed. Course #20-89 | 2014 | 27 pages | 14 posttest questions

CE Credit: 2 Hours
Course Type: Online
Price: $28

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. You can print the test (download test from My Courses tab of your account after purchasing) to mark your answers on it while reading the course document. Then submit online when ready to receive credit.

About the Authors:

Laura More, MSW, LCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and healthcare author. She earned her Masters of Social Work from Florida State University and has over twenty years of healthcare experience, with a focus on geriatric and head injury rehabilitation. Laura has directed case management, social service, and rehabilitation in skilled nursing, outpatient and inpatient hospital settings. She has managed long-term care rehabilitation from facility, area, and regional positions, with a strong emphasis on training and education of staff and client caregivers in the provision of care for geriatric patients in skilled nursing facilities. Laura was one of the founding partners of Care2Learn, a provider of online continuing education courses for the post-acute healthcare industry. She has authored or edited over 120 online continuing education titles, co-authored evidence-based care assessment area resources and a book, The Licensed Practical Nurse in Long-term Care Field Guide. She is the recipient of the 2010 Education Award from the American College of Health Care Administrators.

Edie Deane-Watson, MS, CCC, CCM, has served in the post-acute care industry in various capacities for 25 years. She developed and managed SNF based rehabilitation programs at the facility and regional level and was one of the founding partners of Care2Learn, a provider of online continuing education courses for the post-acute healthcare industry. In addition, she has worked in acute care, head injury, life care planning, and e-learning. She is currently the Director of Education and Training at American Health Tech, a leading provider of post-acute care integrated software.

CE Information:

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046, ACE Program); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); the Florida Boards of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346) and Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

How is ADHD Diagnosed?

How is ADHD Diagnosed?Attention deficit disorder can’t be diagnosed based on the presence of one symptom. That’s because it’s not abnormal for people to feel distracted, unfocused and scattered sometimes. Not to mention that ADHD symptoms can be confused with other issues. This leads to misdiagnoses of disorders such as emotional issues and/or learning disabilities. Therefore, only a mental health specialist has the qualifications needed to make an accurate diagnosis.

What You Should Know About Diagnosing ADHD

Just as there’s no single symptom as proof of ADHD, there’s no single test that can determine its existence. A precise diagnosis can only be made with the involvement of a mental health professional or a doctor. Even then, multiple tools are used, including:

  • a symptoms checklist
  • past and present issues are examined
  • medical exam conducted to rule out other symptom-related causes


Always remember that there are various ADHD symptoms that can be confused with other medical issues or disorders. Hyperactivity and concentration problems are two problems that may look like ADHD. But, after a thorough assessment, a professional diagnosis may determine that ADHD doesn’t exist.

Making an Accurate ADHD Diagnosis

If you examine a group ADHD sufferers, you’ll find that the disorder looks different in each individual. This is one reason why there’s a need for such a wide-array of testing measures for helping professionals reach diagnosis. Therefore, potential sufferers must be honest and open during evaluations. That’s the only way for the specialist to come up with an accurate conclusion.

Factors Evaluated with ADHD is Diagnosed

There are some really strong hallmark symptoms related to ADHD. A combination of them is needed for an ADHD diagnosis. Some of the hallmark symptoms include lack of attention, becoming very impulsive and hyperactivity. These are some of the other factors your mental health professional will examine during the assessment:

  • The Severity of the Symptoms – Do the symptoms have a negative impact on the life of the potential sufferer? Generally people with ADHD will exhibit serious problems in in the family relationships, finances and/or careers.
  • The Beginning of the Symptoms – At what age did the ADHD symptoms begin to show themselves? Because ADHD begins during childhood, your therapist or doctor will look into how soon the symptoms appeared. When it comes to adults, they should be traceable all the back to childhood.
  • The Length of the Symptoms – How long have the symptoms been causing a disturbance? If the symptoms have been bothering the potential sufferer for less than six months, a proper ADHD diagnosis can’t be made just yet.
  • The Where and When of the Symptoms – ADHD symptoms have to present within more than one environment, such as at school and home. If symptoms only appear in one setting, more than likely, it’s not related to ADHD.


A proper ADHD diagnosis can be the encouragement you need to get control over your symptoms. Oftentimes, without help, your ADHD symptoms will stop you from obtaining success and happiness in your life. The sooner you begin treatment, the sooner you can take control of your life and your destiny.

Information compliments of Liahona Academy: http://www.liahonaacademy.com/

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Suicide & Psychological Pain: Prevention that Works

By Jack Klott, MSSA, LISW, CSW

Suicide & Psychological Pain: Prevention that WorksSuicide & Psychological Pain: Prevention that Works is a new 3-hour continuing education (CE/CEU) course for psychologists, counselors, social workers and other mental health professionals. Jack Klott, using case studies taken from his 45-year-career as a suicidologist, brings to life the ideas, theories and concepts surrounding suicide and self-mutilation including risk factors, assessment, and treatment components. He presents information about which personality types are most vulnerable to acts of suicide and self-mutilation, as well as the essential link between these behaviors and addiction disorders. Jack Klott’s work focuses on the treatment relationship between therapist and client and the hope for both the suicidal and self-harm client in achieving treatment goals. This narrative is interwoven with case histories and treatment outcomes which yield a personal and fascinating look into the work of treating suicidal clients. Course #30-70 | 21 posttest questions

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists; the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB #1046, ACE Program); the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (#PCE1625); the Florida Boards of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling (#BAP346) and Psychology & School Psychology (#50-1635); the Illinois DPR for Social Work (#159-00531); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board (#RCST100501); the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs (#193); and the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678).

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Depression CEUs for Mental Health Professionals

depression continuing education courses for mental health professionalsDepression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods.

True clinical depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for weeks or longer.

Usually the most effective treatment for depression is a combination of medication and psychotherapy.

For this reason, mental health professionals need to stay current on clinical advances in the treatment of depression. Professional Development Resources offers the following continuing education courses for that very purpose:

Depressive Disorders – Overview – This 1-hour online course reviews the different types of depressive disorders including major depression, dysthymia, and mania. The etiology, assessment, and treatment of depressive disorders in both children and adults are discussed. National Institute of Mental Health | 2001 | 11 pages | 10 posttest questions | Course #10-15

Depression: What You Must Know – This 2-hour online course provides in depth information about the diagnosis and treatment of depression in a simple, straightforward way. Major Depression is a very common illness that can be life threatening, yet the majority of sufferers of this illness never get proper treatment. This is despite the fact that there are many different and varied treatments currently available. Dr’s Kuna and Nelson-Kuna will share with you published information combined with their joint 36 years of experience to give you their honest opinion on what is likely hype and what has been proven to work. KunaLand Productions, Inc | 2009 | 22 pages | 25 posttest questions | Course #20-25

 

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