The quality of forensic mental health assessments of juvenile offenders: an empirical investigation

Purpose Challenging behaviour has been a concern across forensic services. Traditionally these have been managed reactively using medication, seclusion and restraint; however, there is growing evidence that these approaches are ineffective and counter-therapeutic. A number of reports have recommended the use of preventative approaches such as positive behavioural support (PBS). The purpose of this paper is to identify “how staff within a secure forensic mental health setting perceived the application of PBS?” Design/methodology/approach In total, 11 multi-disciplinary staff were interviewed and thematic analysis was used to identify themes. Findings Five themes were identified: “The Functions”, “Appraising a new Approach”, “Collaborative Challenges”, “Staff Variables” and “Organisational Issues”. Practical implications PBS enables staff to understand challenging or risky behaviour. It empowers patients via collaboration, although there can be some challenges to this. Services need to invest in training, support and leadership to ensure the model is embed and promote fidelity. Consideration needs to be given to how quality of life can be improved within the limits of a forensic setting. Originality/value No previous studies asking staff about their experiences of PBS within a forensic mental health context.

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Measuring relational security in forensic mental health services

BJPsych Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.bp.116.055509 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (6) ◽

pp. 358-363 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Verity Chester ◽

Regi T. Alexander ◽

Wendy Morgan

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Risk Assessment ◽

Mental Health Services ◽

Health Services ◽

Clinical Implications ◽

Forensic Mental Health ◽

Occupational Groups ◽

Form Part ◽

Good Internal Consistency

Aims and methodRelational security is an important component of care and risk assessment in mental health services, but the utility of available measures remains under-researched. This study analysed the psychometric properties of two relational security tools, the See Think Act (STA) scale and the Relational Security Explorer (RSE).ResultsThe STA scale had good internal consistency and could highlight differences between occupational groups, whereas the RSE did not perform well as a psychometric measure.Clinical implicationsThe measures provide unique and complimentary perspectives on the quality of relational security within secure services, but have some limitations. Use of the RSE should be restricted to its intended purpose; to guide team discussions about relational security, and services should refrain from collecting and aggregating this data. Until further research validates their use, relational security measurement should be multidimensional and form part of a wider process of service quality assessment.

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Forensic Mental Health Assessments in Death Penalty Cases

10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195385809.001.0001 ◽

2011 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

David DeMatteo ◽

Daniel C. Murrie ◽

Natalie M. Anumba ◽

Michael E. Keesler

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Death Penalty ◽

Forensic Mental Health ◽

Health Assessments

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P.047 The importance of assessing mental health in transition-aged adolescents with epilepsy

Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques ◽

10.1017/cjn.2019.147 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 46 (s1) ◽

pp. S26

Author(s):

S Healy ◽

K Mabilangan ◽

T Fantaneanu ◽

S Whiting

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Pediatric Epilepsy ◽

Health Issues ◽

Adult Care ◽

Mental Health Assessment ◽

Transition Clinic ◽

Health Assessments

Background: When compared to the general population, researchers have reported elevated rates of mental health issues in the pediatric epilepsy population. These issues have been found to be especially problematic around the time of transition from pediatric to adult care. This is significant because depression and/or anxiety have been found to be directly related to worsened seizure outcomes and quality of life. Despite this, no known Canadian pediatric epilepsy centers have integrated mental health assessment into mainstream practice. Methods: To explore the importance of mental health assessments, we looked at the prevalence rates of both depression and anxiety in 91 adolescents with epilepsy aged 14 to 18 (M=16.3, 51 males, 41 females) enrolled into an epilepsy transition clinic. Results: 58.3% of adolescents showed signs of depression (28.6% mild, 21.4% moderate, 6.0% moderately-severe, 2.4% severe), and 51.8% of adolescents showed signs of anxiety (31.8% mild, 10.6% moderate, 9.4% severe). Remarkably, 54.8% of patients presenting with moderate to severe depression and/or anxiety had not been previously identified Conclusions: These results suggest that in order to ensure the best possible outcomes for patients, mental health assessments should be integrated into the standard model of care for transition-aged adolescents with epilepsy.

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