PSYC 541 Introduction to Public Mental Health: Theories, Practice, and Prevention

This course provides students with an overview of the theoretical background, practice, and prevention strategies used in mental health care. Topics include the need for community mental health care, trends in utilization, and predictors of mental health treatment-seeking in community settings. Special emphasis is placed on the impact of stigma in the community, the treatment gap, and barriers to care.

The course is designed to help the student develop basic understanding regarding social concepts and processes influencing health status and public mental health interventions. The course also hopes to help the student foster insight into at-risk populations and to develop strong, effective writing strategies for communicating about psychosocial issues in public mental health. These overall aims are approached through discussion threads, readings, quizzes, syntheses, annotated bibliographies, and the final project.

Discussions (4)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided topic for each discussion. Discussion threads that answer the question(s) presented must be at least 500 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the initial main post, the student is required to reply to two other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 250 words. Discussions are assigned in Modules 1, 3, 5, and 8.

Chapter Quizzes (8)

No details available.

Synthesis Assignments (8)

Every module has a synthesis assignment. The first part of the synthesis assignment should cover the main ideas and concepts discussed from each assigned textbook chapter from the module. Students must then note three weaknesses or limitations of the content from assigned readings followed by their major takeaway from the assigned readings. Next, students must discuss how the assigned textbook chapters relate to their topic of interest in the public mental health field. Lastly, students must include biblical integration. Each synthesis must be at least 2 pages in length (APA format).

Journal Article Review Assignments (4)

For each module, the student will complete a journal article review template of a peer-reviewed journal article related to their topic of interest in public mental health. The student must find the journal article related to their topic of interest and complete the journal article review template.

Community Health Needs Assessment: Lynchburg Assignment

For the first Community Mental Health Needs Assessment Assignment, the student will discover the purpose of the assessment and research and detail the top needs in the Lynchburg, VA community.

Community Health Needs Assessment: Your Community Assignment

For the second Community Mental Health Needs Assessment Assignment, the student will compare and contrast the needs of the Lynchburg community to their own community.

Community Intervention Assignment