Class Descriptions

Mental Health Disorders in Adulthood

SW606

Credits:	3
Prerequisites:	None

Pathway Associations

Community Change
Global
Interpersonal Practice	Elective (Host)
Mgmt & Leadership
Policy & Political
Program Evaluation
Older Adults	Elective
Children & Families

Course Description

This course is open to student learners in the health science areas including social work, nursing, pharmacy, and dentistry. This course will present state-of-the-art knowledge and research of mental disorders of adults across the lifespan, as well as factors that promote mental health, and prevent mental disorders and substance related problems. Using a clinical case discussion format, this class will highlight mental health diagnoses, comorbidity, and team collaboration across health professions. Social determinants of health/mental health will be used as an organizing framework for discussing the impact of factors associated with health and mental health across diverse cultures, groups and populations. Classification systems of adult mental functioning and mental disorders will be presented, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9/10). Ethical considerations regarding the development and application of classifications will be explored in addition to critically analyzing both the strengths and limitations of these classification systems with diverse populations. Competencies related to teamwork and collaboration, values and ethics, and communication will be addressed.

Objectives

● Define the major features and the natural history of the most common mental disorders and disorders with the greatest impact on the public systems of care (EPAS 1, 6, 7).
● Analyze the diagnostic system as a generalizable framework for assessing, evaluating, and diagnosing individuals with mental health concerns (EPAS 7).
● Integrate mental health, health, and substance-related problems within a co- and multi-morbidity, and differential diagnosis framework (EPAS 7).
Apply the best practice/best available interventions and treatments for mental health disorders (EPAS 7).
● Synthesize critical perspectives, intersectionality, and cultural humility to conceptualize cases (EPAS 2, 5, 6).

Design

The objectives of the course will be pursued through readings, lectures, clinical team discussions, case studies and presentations, videos, and guest lectures. Specific Interprofessional Competencies as identified by the UM Center for Interprofessional Education will be addressed.

Intensive Focus on Privilege, Oppression, Diversity and Social Justice (PODS)

This course integrates PODS content and skills with a special emphasis on the identification of theories, practice, and/or policies that promote social justice, illuminate social injustices and are consistent with scientific and professional knowledge. Through the use of a variety of instructional methods, this course will support students developing a vision of social justice, learn to recognize and reduce mechanisms that support oppression and injustice, work toward social justice processes, apply intersectionality and intercultural frameworks and strengthen critical consciousness, self knowledge and self awareness to facilitate PODS learning.