Evidence Based Practice Summary

Evidence based practice is the act of incorporating clinical expertise, best research evidence and patient values and preferences in delivering care. This system, as opposed to previous methods that used the same standard of care for each patient, evaluates treatment plans based on research and the practioners own experiences. The usual workup of this type of practice is to ask a series of “why” questions and meticulously observe patient patterns to paint a better picture of the environmental factors surrounding the patient’s condition. This method advanced treatment modalities as practioners were able to better incorporate external factors in the assessment. Previous styles of care such as defensive medicine, forced providers to aggressively

Originally, this agency was implemented to protect the rights for the mentally disabled institutionalized by operation of the Mental Hygiene Law. The services have now developed to provide advice and assistance to persons receiving care for mental disabilities. These services can range from concerns regarding admission, retention, transfer, treatment and/or guardianship. The services help protect the Rights of the Mentally Disabled. These rights are:
a. Notice of rights – recited upon admission to a hospital or residence
b. Objection to treatment – right to review treatment decisions
c. Mental hygiene law protection – protect this right for those who face civil admission and retention
d. Abjection to retention – object continued stay in facility
e. Patient abuse – investigate complaints of abuse and mistreatment
f. Protection under other laws – family court act, criminal procedure law and correctional

Psychiatrist - a licensed and board-certified physician (MD or DO) who specializes in diagnosing, treating and preventing mental illness. They are required a four-year residency where they learn to understand the complex relationship between psychological disorders and physical illness. A physiatrists extensive background in medicine allows them to prescribe medication and spend most of their patient contact time on medication management and courses of treatment.
2. Psychologist - a licensed Ph.d or a Psy.D who is trained in tests and measurements. A clinical psychologist can diagnose and treat a mental illness and often specialize in fields such as school, child and adolescent, organizational and family. Phycologists focus more on physiotherapies and treating emotional and mental suffering through behavior interventions.
3. Social worker – a licensed and board-certified individual with master’s level degree. Common licensures include LMSW, LCSW and LCSW\R (R designating reimbursable psychotherapist after 3 years of supervised clinical work). Social workers are often providing behavioral health services by promoting well-being of individuals especially those who have a history of substance abuse of additions. Many of these assessment plans involve using behavioral and social sciences to implement treatment