Journal article
Mental Health Social Work Practice: Navigating Tensions
The British journal of social work, Vol.54(6), pp.2565-2582
01/09/2024
Appears in Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract
The United Nations Special Rapporteur has called for ‘a revolution in mental health care to end decades of neglect, abuse and violence…enabl[ing] a long overdue shift to a rights-based approach’ (United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, 2017). Principles underpinning social work practice with people living with mental distress who receive diagnoses such as schizophrenia, personality disorders and bipolar disorder, align with sought after changes. Using Cooperative Inquiry and referring to the Model of Holistic Competence in Social Work, this study investigated mental health social work seeking to foster this shift. Findings confirmed inherent discordance between social work values and mental health care dominated by biomedical and neoliberal views. Upholding social work values in this context involves complex practice, integrating procedural and meta-competencies. By incorporating skills in relational practice and advocacy; knowledge of multiple explanatory frameworks for mental health and mental health systems literacy; self-regulation; fostering tenacity whilst addressing ‘othering’; and judgement informing choices around conformity and confrontation, social work navigates tensions associated with this discordance. This paper highlights the nature of values-based social work practice as aligned with mental health reforms.
Details
- Title
- Mental Health Social Work Practice: Navigating Tensions
- Creators
- Louise Whitaker - Southern Cross UniversityFiona Smith - La Trobe UniversityFredrik Velander - Charles Sturt UniversityMelissa Petrakis - Monash UniversityEmily Deacon - Royal Ottawa Mental Health CentreTim Simboli - Canadian Mental Health AssociationCynthia Clark - Royal Ottawa Mental Health CentreJulian Lue - Carleton UniversityAmanda Rocca - Carleton UniversityBrenda Morris - Carleton University
- Publication Details
- The British journal of social work, Vol.54(6), pp.2565-2582
- Publisher
- Oxford Univ Press
- Number of pages
- 18
- Grant note
- The study was supported by funding from a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Grant from Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
- Identifiers
- 991013193178402368
- Copyright
- © The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved.
- Academic Unit
- Social Work; Faculty of Health
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article