Pick any diagnosis or abnormal mental health situation that you learned about in the class.
(Bipolar Disorder, Borderline personality disorder, Schizophrenia…)
Task:
You’ve been a patient of the South Richmond Assertive Community Treatment team for seven years. Of those seven years, you’ve been court ordered by the
Assisted Outpatient Treatment law, Kendra’s Law, in New York State, to participate in treatment.
Kendra’s law is typically used only after numerous psychiatric inpatient readmissions/hospitalizations in one year, or after a particularly terrible act of
violence is perpetrated by a mentally ill individual in the community. It is used to stabilize people long term, as the likelihood of being a danger to self and
others is extremely high. Fortunately, you can graduate from the law after an extended period of stability if approved by a city/state confirmed psychiatrist.
During the time since your first psychiatric issues, a lot of things have changed.
For the sake of this assignment, we are now going to assume two major changes.
For the first essay, you have developed full and complete insight into your mental illness and the need for continued mental health treatment for the rest of
your life, if deemed medically necessary, and you will do so with the help of treatment providers, family, friends, and peers in the community. (You may
freestyle make up any supportive information you’d like to make your argument about why you need mental health treatment going forward and how your life
is better because of it – what does your life look like now?).
For the second essay, you have developed NO insight into your mental illness and the need for continued mental health treatment. You refuse all psychiatric
medication, hate your ACT team, and in particular that son-of-a-bitch Social Worker who runs it, you don’t want the ACT team or anyone to know about the
wishes of your family, friends, peers or the rest of the community, and you just want to BE LEFT ALONE. (You again, may freestyle make up any supportive
information you’d like to make your argument about why you do not need mental health treatment going forward and how your life is better because of it –
what does your life look like now?).
It is AOT examination day, where you meet the Licensed Psychiatrist who is tasked by the city/state of New York to determine – does the AOT continue for
another year, or can you become a voluntary participant in mental health treatment?
From both sides, you will now make your case.
In two separate essays, one with, and one without insight, convince me that you no longer need AOT or any court mandated psychiatric treatment.
Sample Solution
