What does a mental health care plan look like?
Mental health, the elephant in the room that lives with us every day. We all know it’s there, but sometimes we ignore or shove it away under our carpets filled with dust and pet hair. It is easy to let depression, anxiety and stress pile up without acknowledging them for what they are.
The Australian government acknowledges this issue and has implemented many services for its citizens to seek mental health care assistance. One such service is through Medicare benefit schemes offered by the Government re: diabetes management plans and chronic disease management programs.
This article explores what mental health care plan entails as well as providing formatting guidelines that accompany a care plan- drawing from humor rather than being intense (too early?).
Here’s everything you want to know about creating an efficient mental healthcare plan (and more)!
First Things First: What Is A Mental Health Care Plan?
A Mental Healthcare Plan refers to an outlined document that guides how patients take their mental illness treatment journey while giving helpful insights on available treatments/therapy options for treating your condition; think of it as Google Maps when going anywhere new only now applying these principles on medicine routes accurately. Before getting into the nitty-gritty details of developing said healthcare plan let’s first look at criteria required before accessing one:
Eligibility And Accessing MHCP
To be able to access funded services through Medicare relating to MHCPs, patients must have:
Receive continuous psychological therapy sessions[1]
Need appointments covering certain timeframes [2]
Should both criterion apply then eligible clients would be approved 10 allocated visits yearly covered by partial coverage disbursed directly via Medicare while private payers need not worry about out-of-pocket expenses.
Once you’ve been deemed eligible getting started with planning begins thus having completed step one hooray!
Let’s move onto discovering what elements make up a mental health care plan.
Six Crucial Components Of An MHCP
To ensure that you receive the best possible treatment, there are certain things a healthcare provider must include in your health care plan. Here’s what is typically included:
1. Contact Information
This segment comprises all necessary pieces of information such as an individual’s contact details, including phone number and address [3]. If it includes appointment schedules for therapists or psychs attending to patients’ cases.
2. The Patient Mental Health Status Description
In this component, practitioners draw up a detailed summary/description when diagnosing mental conditions regardless of varying degrees of symptoms/illness/ailments with which differing people would present themselves from one another [4].
3. Objective Statement Setting Out Treatment Strategy
The purpose of stating desired aims utilizing measurable objectives helps establish attainable goals for therapy while providing the tools necessary towards completion by outlining short term modules like incremental steps instead bulking everything into a single large pile- we know how daunting that feels!
4.Treatment Plan Proposed By Practitioner.
One size does not fit all regarding therapy treatments; these plans outline potential methods/treatments tailored specifically to suffice patient needs
This paragraph has been added for strictly comic purposes: One thing to keep in knee when working through treatment options is snacking accessibility availability because nothing works better than some chocolate during cognitive behaviour therapy sessions
5.Risks And Benefits Involved In Every Proposed Treatment Option
As with many medical treatments incorporating risks/benefits analysis becomes vital when administering therapies accounting for possible side-effects due potential medication reactions caused by interactions between prescribed medications taken together[6]
Sometimes different options are available concerning medication choices/options becoming tricky parts explaining benefits versus respective efficacy drugs have in treating particular symptoms experienced.
Similar to highly addictive substances made hilarious in popular TV Show Series “Breaking Bad,” just kidding we’re still talking about mhcp do remain serious.
6.A Follow-Up Meeting Schedule Three Months After Plan Initiation
To re-evaluate/see the progress made thus far, scheduling check-ins after initial treatment begins proves useful facilitating open dialogue between you and your health care provider; working together will ensure strategical plans outlined at beginning of process[7]. Knowing when to go for follow-up visits even if feeling great means ensuring good mental wellness; it’s a potential life-saving issue.
Conclusion
By now, you know what the components of Mental Health Care Plans are as well as several considerations deemed essential in developing them.
In light humorously commenting on Breaking bad was thrown in see- but while funny entertainment diverges from reality. If contemplating seeking or starting therapy sessions/work with healthcare providers regarding MHCP consider carefully creating a plan/list whereas contact information/multiple-measurable goals by following examples given in this article since mental illness is no laughing matter!
1,2. Australian Government Department of Health (Retrieved 2022). MBS Online – Chronic Disease Management Services
3.Krystal Kwan MPH,Rita Geer MPH,Martina Paul MPH,Greg Machek – American Journal Of Public health (Healthy People 2010): Clarifying The Social Norm For Optimal Child Health: Children Seen And Heard
4,Bentall RP,Haworth EJ,Wicks S.Kinderman P.Blackwood N.Slade PD.Corbett K.Hargreaves I.Tarrier N.The power-threat-meaning framework—A proposed new approach to the diagnosis of psychosis.British Journal of Clinical Psychology.
5,Miranda J.Schulberg H.ValidityofDiagnosticAssessmentforDepressioninandOutpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Patients.Journal Of Consulting And Clinical Psychology,
6,Niederlausitz Regional Association-Claire Scovell.Psychotherapy By Informed Consent-A Better Balance Of Risks And Benefits.
7,Camacho F.Contingency Management and Client Contact to Help Prompt Drug-Abuse Prevention on the Day of Treatment Initiation.