Dragon Info

Related Articles

Berkeley Mental Health

Clients

Case Management versus Therapy

Empowering Clients

A Social Worker's Bag of Tricks

Social Workers Do More

Outcomes

The New Mountain men

Empowering Clients

May 2001

James Glenn

In the traditional mental health model a doctor or therapist diagnoses a patient and prescribes treatment. Berkeley Mental Health workers use a more collaborative approach. ACT staff member James Glenn explains:

“I come from a position of empowerment and choice. Traditionally society has stigmatized people who are mentally challenged and denied them a voice in their treatment. We let them know that they are whole and complete and that their diagnosis is not a prognosis. They can enrich the quality of their life through therapy, medication and developing a holistic approach to life. Medication without therapy or goals is insufficient. You have to give them a life. They need to see the rewards and benefits so they can make decisions themselves.
“We do an assessment or work up, which is basically getting to know the person, understanding their goals. We sit down with the individuals and help them develop a ‘Wellness Action Plan’ so they can understand the things they need to do to take care of themselves. This includes a daily maintenance list and understanding of their challenges and triggers, and then a crisis plan for when things break down.

“We have had some very profound successes. For example, we had an individual who had been homeless for seven years, in and out of the criminal justice system. Between criminal justice and hospitalization the society was probably spending $200,000 per year. Since we began working with him last August he hasn’t been in the hospital or the jail. So we are saving the taxpayers of California and Alameda County nearly $200,000.”