Susan works at a mental health center that serves people regardless of their ability to pay or insurance coverage. Like many healthcare facilities, the center has limited resources and has a shortage of psychiatrists. Despite these limitations, the staff is committed to using telehealth videoconference technology to increase patient access to care.
Psychiatrists
In psychiatry, as in most professions, recruitment and retention are influenced by identity and status. In addition to a common knowledge base, the profession’s identity is reflected by its boundaries and the status of its members within medicine and society. Hence the existence of worldwide associations for biological, psychotherapy and social psychiatry that claim better patient care as their main aim while clashing with each other and sometimes with neighboring disciplines and professions.
Psychiatrists are trained to diagnose and treat mental health disorders such as depression. They can help patients cope with symptoms through medication management and therapy. They can also recommend lifestyle changes to reduce the impact of depression on their lives.
Psychiatrists collaborate with primary physicians in providing mental health care. Psychiatrists can also refer their patients to other specialists, such as psychologists or social workers. However, family physicians can be reluctant to refer their patients to psychiatrists because they are not comfortable diagnosing psychiatric disorders.
Psychologists
Psychologists are licensed mental health providers who typically have earned a doctoral degree. Therapists and counselors are also mental health providers, but they may have different areas of expertise or focus. Some may have additional credentials or specializations in more modern areas of practice such as non-monogamy, body positivity, racial justice and queer-competency.
This “telexample” depicts a psychiatric interview session with a middle-aged patient suffering from depressive neurosis. It demonstrates how psychiatrists can help patients better understand their condition and feelings, thus improving the chances for successful treatment.
Whether it be relationship troubles, sadness or depression, anxiety or panic, stress due to work, acculturation or ethnic minority issues, or even difficulty controlling anger or dealing with grief, our licensed therapists and counselors can provide a safe place to explore your issues in a caring and supportive environment. You can find a provider by entering your location and then using advanced search to filter by issues you’re struggling with.
Counselors
Psychiatric counselors provide psychotherapy, or talking therapy, for their patients. Psychotherapy can help people understand their feelings and behaviors, and can teach them coping skills to improve their mental health. Counselors are trained in various approaches to psychotherapy, and may be able to prescribe medications.
The film follows Mike, a 63-year-old man with acute depression and diabetes who is sent to a pre-vocational work evaluation program while hospitalized. A counselor helps him find the type of work that fits his physical and emotional abilities, and assists him with job searches and retention supports upon discharge.
The film also features Employment Specialists who implement an evidence-based model of Supported Employment (IPS) that assists individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders to become competitively employed.
Social Workers
Psychiatrists and consumers alike are aware of problems in system structure and reimbursement that contribute to poor psychiatric practice. Yet no single group — whether psychiatrists, consumers or mental health agency administrators — likely has enough clout to make significant change in entrenched social policy. This combination of well-known structural problems (national shortage of child-serving psychiatrists, malpractice concerns, low Medicaid reimbursement rates, and productivity based incentives that result in 15 minute appointments) appears to create a crisis of credibility for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals working with vulnerable children.
Ethnographic observation suggests that the accent on short psychiatric evaluations is driven primarily by the pressure to maximize Medicaid revenue. Many child welfare professionals and some psychiatrists reported that their agencies put a premium on the number of people seen rather than on the quality of the services provided. Psychiatrists who are forced to evaluate children in such short periods may suffer from what Ware, Lachicotte, Kirschner, Cortes and Good (2000) call a loss of moral vision.
Psychiatric Nurses
Psychiatric nurses provide psychological and physical healthcare services in many settings. They often work closely with patients to help them manage their symptoms and develop coping mechanisms. They are also trained in a range of alternative treatment modalities, such as EMDR and acupuncture.
Interviewees attributed trust in clinicians to their perception of professionalism. They distinguished between classical Parsonian professionalism, which emphasizes emotionless conduct and fealty to organizational constraints, from more flexible, patient-centered professionalism that is capable of breaking institutional rules.
Despite the fact that psych nurses are well-trained and highly skilled, they face many obstacles to their practice. Most states, including New York, limit NP scope of practice. As a result, it is critical to advocate for changes in healthcare policy on a national and state level. This is the best way to encourage more psychiatric nurse practitioners to become involved in the field of mental health. They can make an important difference in the lives of individuals and their families.
Psychiatric Technicians
Psychiatric technicians, sometimes called psychiatric assistants, work directly with patients under the supervision of psychiatrists and psychologists. They are responsible for the observation and monitoring of a patient’s mental state and behavior, as well as assisting with delivering medications. They also participate in group therapy sessions and psychoeducational activities.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, psychiatric aides and technicians experience high rates of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses caused by violence from patients. In fact, these rates are far higher than those of other occupations in the same industry.
It is unclear whether these workers are experiencing higher rates because they are working with mentally ill patients or because their jobs involve close proximity to them. In either case, it is clear that these individuals are at risk of serious injury and even death. Some authors (Meehan & Glover, 2009; Stratford et al., 2012) have promoted the use of consumer-led training for recovery as opposed to traditional placement for medical students in psychiatry.
Psychiatric Assistants
Psychiatric technicians and aides work alongside psychiatrists, therapists, social workers, and other mental healthcare professionals in various settings. They are primarily responsible for ensuring a safe and clean environment. They also assist patients in daily activities and administer medications as prescribed by psychiatrists and therapists.
Both aides and technicians have rates of nonfatal occupational injury and illness that are higher than the national average. However, the incidence rate of violence in the workplace for psychiatric aides is 69 times higher than the national average and 38 times higher for psychiatric technicians.
The most significant factor influencing these rates is the type of patient that psychiatric aides and technicians encounter in their workplaces. Therefore, access to data about specific types of patients and training on how to interact with these patients can help determine how best to prevent injuries and illnesses. This would include the need to establish appropriate technician-to-aide and aide-to-patient ratios.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
Psychiatric nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced degrees who are trained in diagnosing and treating mental health disorders. They are capable of prescribing medications and may work with clients to help them incorporate psychotherapy into their treatment plan. They also can refer clients to a psychologist or psychiatrist for additional psychotherapy.
Unlike therapists, PMHNPs are trained in a variety of treatment modalities, including traditional psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and pharmacotherapy. They are often experienced in assessing and monitoring a client’s condition using lab tests and brain scans.
They can be a valuable resource for clients who need to address both psychological and medical issues, but they do not typically provide supportive psychotherapy on an ongoing basis. Having a PCP referral is not always required to see one of these professionals, but it can help streamline the appointment process. Additionally, a referral may be beneficial when seeking coverage through insurance.
Psychiatric Physician Assistants
Chicago psychiatry assistants often are the first medical professionals patients see when seeking treatment for mental health issues. According to a 2018 report, 62% of PAs said they evaluated patients with psychiatric symptoms on at least a weekly basis.
Psychiatric PAs help ease the physician shortage, providing high-quality care for their patients at a fraction of the cost of psychiatrists. They work in a variety of settings, including private practice, residential facilities and hospitals. They also provide counseling, group therapy and psychiatric medication management.
Anna Hereth, PA-C, is a psychiatric PA at Relief Mental Health in Chicago’s West Loop and Northbrook, where she provides psychiatric medication management for adults with anxiety, depression, complex trauma disorders and other conditions. She also conducts adolescent evaluations and adult psychotherapy. In addition, she teaches clinical classes to graduate nursing students, medical students and residents at her clinical sites. This helps prepare future healthcare providers for the challenges of psychiatric care.