The pathway to violence and public mass shooters in mental health treatment before attacks

Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide mental health practitioners with a framework for conceptualizing individuals who may be at risk of targeted violence, mass shootings in particular. Design/methodology/approach Through the lens of the Path to Intended Violence model, a non-experimental descriptive design was chosen to explore the characteristics and behaviors of perpetrators who had engaged in mental health treatment within six months before their attacks. Findings The perpetrators in this study demonstrated behaviors included in each of the stages of the Path to Intended Violence model. Thus, it may be important for practitioners to be familiar with this model, especially the earlier stages, to potentially identify and intervene with individuals who may be at risk of committing mass violence. Originality/value This paper highlights how the Path to Intended Violence model can provide practitioners with a framework for identifying progressive warning signs in patients and how to take action to stop them from continuing their journey toward violence.

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EXPANDING INFANT MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SERVICES TO AT-RISK PRESCHOOLERS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF RELATIONAL PLAY THERAPY

Infant Mental Health Journal ◽

10.1002/imhj.21663 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 38 (5) ◽

pp. 669-679 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jennifer L. Farley ◽

Ellen E. Whipple

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

At Risk ◽

Play Therapy ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Infant Mental Health ◽

Health Treatment ◽

Treatment Services

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Examining ethnic disparities in provider and parent in-session participation engagement

Journal of Children s Services ◽

10.1108/jcs-12-2016-0022 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 47-58 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Kelsey S. Dickson ◽

Sasha M. Zeedyk ◽

Jonathan Martinez ◽

Rachel Haine-Schlagel

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Parent Participation ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

Treatment Engagement ◽

Latino Families ◽

Observational Coding ◽

Community Based ◽

Health Treatment ◽

Content Type

Purpose Well-documented ethnic disparities exist in the identification and provision of quality services among children receiving community-based mental health services. These disparities extend to parent treatment engagement, an important component of effective mental health services. Currently, little is known about differences in how providers support parents’ participation in treatment and the degree to which parents actively participate in it. The purpose of this paper is to examine potential differences in both provider and parent in-session participation behaviours. Design/methodology/approach Participants included 17 providers providing standard community-based mental health treatment for 18 parent-child dyads, with 44 per cent of the dyads self-identifying as Hispanic/Latino. In-session participation was measured with the parent participation engagement in child psychotherapy and therapist alliance, collaboration, and empowerment strategies observational coding systems. Findings Overall, results indicate significantly lower levels of parent participation behaviours among Hispanic/Latino families compared to their Non-Hispanic/Non-Latino counterparts. No significant differences were seen in providers’ in-session behaviours to support parent participation across Hispanic/Latino and Non-Hispanic/Non-Latino families. Research limitations/implications These findings contribute to the literature on ethnic differences in parent treatment engagement by utilising measures of in-session provider and parent behaviours and suggest that further investigation is warranted to documenting and understanding ethnic disparities in parents’ participation in community-based child mental health treatment. Originality/value This paper contributes to the evaluation of differences in parent treatment engagement through demonstrating the utility of an in-session observational coding system as a measure of treatment engagement.

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The use of the mental health treatment requirement (MHTR): clinical outcomes at one year of a collaboration

Journal of Criminal Psychology ◽

10.1108/jcp-01-2018-0003 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 215-233 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Clive G. Long ◽

Olga Dolley ◽

Clive Hollin

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Adjustment ◽

Work Experience ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Short Term ◽

Health Treatment ◽

Content Type ◽

Cognitive Behavioural ◽

The Uk ◽

Relevant Work

Purpose In the UK, the mental health treatment requirement (MHTR) order for offenders on probation has been underused. A MHTR service was established to assess the effectiveness of a partnership between a probation service, a link worker charity and an independent mental healthcare provider. Short-term structured cognitive behavioural interventions were delivered by psychology graduates with relevant work experience and training. Training for the judiciary on the MHTR and the new service led to a significant increase in the use of MHTR orders. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A total of 56 (of 76 MHTR offenders) completed treatment in the first 12 months. A single cohort pre-post follow-up design was used to evaluate change in the following domains: mental health and wellbeing; coping skills; social adjustment; and criminal justice outcomes. Mental health treatment interventions were delivered under supervision by two psychology graduates who had relevant work experience and who were trained in short term, structured, cognitive behavioural (CBT) interventions. Findings Clinically significant changes were obtained on measures of anxiety and depression, and on measures of social problem solving, emotional regulation and self-efficacy. Ratings of work and social adjustment and pre-post ratings of dynamic criminogenic risk factors also improved. This new initiative has addressed the moral argument for equality of access to mental health services for offenders given a community order. Originality/value While the current initiative represents one of a number of models designed to increase the collaboration between the criminal justice and the mental health systems, this is the first within the UK to deliver a therapeutic response at the point of sentencing for offenders with mental health problems. The significant increase in the provision of MHTR community orders in the first year of the project has been associated with a decrease in the number of psychiatric reports requested that are time consuming and do not lead to a rapid treatment.

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Mental health and addiction service use among United States veterans with liver disease nationally in the Veterans Health Administration

Journal of Public Mental Health ◽

10.1108/jpmh-07-2020-0088 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Lamia Haque ◽

Robert Rosenheck

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

United States ◽

Drug Dependence ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Addiction Treatment ◽

Veterans Health Administration ◽

Veterans Health ◽

Health Administration ◽

Health Treatment ◽

Content Type

Purpose While many studies have shown that liver diseases (LD) can be caused or exacerbated by substance use disorders (SUD), few have examined the proportion of adults with LD and SUD who receive mental health and addiction treatment or correlates of such use. Design/methodology/approach Using national Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 data from the United States Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the authors studied all 43,246 veterans diagnosed with both LD and SUD in FY 2012 and compared those who received mental health treatment (n = 30,456; 70.4%) to those who did not (n = 12,790; 29.6%). Findings Veterans who received mental health treatment were less like to be older than 75 years of age, more likely to have served during recent Middle East conflicts (Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom), more likely to have been recently homeless and to have drug dependence as contrasted with alcohol dependence when compared with those who did not receive mental health treatment. Although the majority, 70.4%, received mental health treatment, only 30.6% of the total received specialized addiction treatment, and these veterans were more likely to experience homelessness and have drug dependence diagnoses. Originality/value This is the first study as per the authors’ best knowledge that broadly examines mental health and addiction treatment received by veterans with LD and SUD. High rates of mental health treatment in this population likely reflect the integrated nature of the VHA and its emphasis on providing comprehensive services to homeless veterans. Further research is needed to identify barriers to specialized addiction treatment in this population.

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Effects of police officer exposure to traumatic experiences and recognizing the stigma associated with police officer mental health

Policing An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management ◽

10.1108/pijpsm-09-2018-0147 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 (4) ◽

pp. 711-724 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Elizabeth Velazquez ◽

Maria Hernandez

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Law Enforcement ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Police Officer ◽

Police Officers ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Suicide Ideation ◽

Organizational Factors ◽

Health Treatment ◽

Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review current research on police officer mental health and to explore the reasons why police officers do not seek mental health treatment. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive, systematic search of multiple academic databases (e.g. EBSCO Host) were used to identify studies conducted within the USA, identified definitions of first responders, identified the type of duty-related trauma expected by police officers, how influential stigma is amongst the police culture and what current intervention strategies are employed to assist police officer mental health wellness. Findings This research was conducted to identify police officer trauma-related mental health and the stigma behind seeking treatment. The research highlights job-related trauma and stress leads to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, substance use disorder and suicide or suicide ideation. The stigma behind seeking mental health treatment is associated with law enforcement organizations and environmental factors. Organizational factors include occupational stress characteristics such as day-to-day of the job and environmental factors such as abiding by social and law enforcement culture ideologies. Further research should be conducted to understand why law enforcing agencies and personnel are unknowingly promoting stigmas. Originality/value This is the most current meta-review of research examining the severity of mental health in police officers, the stigma behind acquiring treatment and innovative treatment approaches in police officer mental health. This study will provide a useful resource for those researchers interested in continuing to examine the different aspects of police officer mental health and how to potently approach innovative interventions to help law enforcement personals mental wellness thrive in a field where trauma is experienced daily.

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Mutuality and shared power as an alternative to coercion and force

Mental Health and Social Inclusion ◽

10.1108/mhsi-03-2017-0011 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 144-152 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Shery Mead ◽

Beth Filson

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Research Design ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Relationship Building ◽

Health Treatment ◽

Content Type ◽

Opinion Piece ◽

Shared Power ◽

New Perspective

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how mutuality and shared power in relationship can avoid coercion and force in mental health treatment. Design/methodology/approach This is not a research design. It is rather an opinion piece with extensive examples of the approach. Findings The authors have found that using these processes can enable connection; the key to relationship building. Originality/value This paper is totally original and stands to offer the field, a new perspective.

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Community sentence with Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR); an exploration into offenders’ experience of psychological therapy

Journal of Criminal Psychology ◽

10.1108/jcp-09-2020-0040 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Lauren Butler ◽

Sue Ledwith

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Social Inequalities ◽

Psychological Therapy ◽

Service Users ◽

Life Choices ◽

Health Treatment ◽

Content Type ◽

Opening Up

Purpose This study aims to explore service users’ experience of psychological therapy as part of a community sentence with a Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) in Birmingham Courts between January and December 2018. Design/methodology/approach All service users that had therapy in this period were telephoned a month after ending and offered a semi-structured telephone interview. Seven service users agreed to be recorded. This data was then transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis to gain a richer understanding of their lived experience. Findings Themes identified were: Is the MHTR for me? Opening up, enlightening connections and personal change. Service users initially questioned the relevance and burden of the order for them; the experience of therapy allowed them to trust and talk about things unsaid in the past; this helped them to review and reconsider their understanding of themselves and their life choices and what further support they might need. Research limitations/implications Interviews were not completed by an independent interviewer. Experience of working with offender manager supervision additionally available throughout the sentence was not explored. Practical implications What is included in the MHTR information and support needs to be informed by the service user’s perspective, including this can improve engagement. Social implications Therapy was seen as a “a cog in the machine” and wider social inequalities may need to be addressed within the sentence. Originality/value This report focusses on experience of a therapeutic intervention – a key part of a community sentence with an MHTR.

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