Serious limitations exist in the delivery of mental health services to refugees throughout the resettlement process: fragmentation, instability, language barriers, culturally inappropriate treatment methods, and severe staff shortages. Suggested improvements for refugee mental health services emphasize outreach, prevention, treatment approaches,…

Describes the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, focusing on introduction and applicability; preamble; general principles; and ethical standards (resolving ethical issues, competence, human relations, privacy and confidentiality, advertising and other public statements, record keeping and…

Examines mental health literature on Hispanic populations, and uncovers the following broad approaches to the development of culturally sensitive therapy programs: (1) rendering traditional approaches more accessible to Hispanics; (2) using elements of Hispanic culture to select from available therapeutic modalities; and (3) using elements of…

The development of a model for treating acutely depressed patients on a frequent basis in an independent practice setting is described. Strategies to collaborate with managed care organizations, employee assistance programs, and local provider networks to recruit these patients are outlined. The patients treated in the intensive outpatient program…

Provides a guide for developing, evaluating, and reviewing proposed and existing practice guidelines, explaining the difference between guidelines and standards and between practice and treatment. Describes the process of developing the 1995 American Psychological Association practice guidelines document, then focuses on practice guideline…

Presents a set of criteria for use in evaluating treatment guidelines promulgated by health care associations, government agencies, professional associations, or other entities, explaining that treatment guidelines are designed to educate health care professionals and the health care system as a whole about the most effective treatments available.…

Humanitarian psychological support as an organized field is relatively young. Pioneers in the field were involved primarily in providing psychological support to refugees and internally displaced persons in conflict and nonconflict situations. This article describes basic principles for the design of psychological support programs and…

The impact of stressful life events on health has been the object of inquiry for decades. Health care professionals have studied how stressful life events may precipitate or contribute to the onset of illness. Traumatic events and experiences can profoundly affect physical and psychological well-being, which in turn may predispose an individual to…

In April 2002, the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health was created by executive order to study the mental health care delivery system in our nation and to make recommendations for improvements so that individuals with serious mental disorders can live, work, learn, and fully participate in their homes and communities. In its…

Discusses guidelines for professional practice and related policy development by the American Psychological Association's (APA) Board of Professional Affairs over the past decade, explaining that the APA policy distinguishes two types of guidelines for professional practice: treatment guidelines (providing specific recommendations about treatments…

This paper presents comments on "Psychological treatments" by D. H. Barlow. Barlow proposed that we distinguish between the terms "treatment" and "psychotherapy." The author believes that not only is the distinction unnecessary, but that its implications could have negative consequences for the field of clinical psychology. It is the proposed…

Stresses that health psychology should (1) adopt a community or public health perspective, rather than an individual disease or individual treatment model, and (2) focus on prevention, rather than on curative services. (Author/GC)

Discusses how clinical psychology can contribute to the psychological well-being of minority people. Describes theory and research on racism and racial differences. Points out the unmet health needs of minority groups and the gaps that exist in clinical practice, and stresses the necessity for training more minority psychologists. (GC)

Describes the mental health problems of the nation's children and youth and the lack of services to address these problems. Traces the recent history of federal programs targeted toward youth mental health, and criticizes the current administration's "Most in Need Program" in terms of its administrative and conceptual approaches. (GC)

Psychology has recently identified itself as a health care profession and codified this change in the bylaws of the American Psychological Association. Although psychologists make a number of contributions to the nation's health-and mental health-the most identifiable activity focuses on treating physical or psychological pathology with…