Running head: SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MENTAL HEALTH 1

Select a mental health or crisis intervention human service delivery system within criminal justice, such as a domestic violence program within a police department.

Write a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper about your selected system in which you address the following: Describe the services provided by your selected mental health or crisis intervention human

service delivery system. Describe the general characteristics and skills needed to effectively deliver mental health

and crisis intervention services. How do the characteristics, skills, and actions needed by an agent of the government differ

from those skills needed by social workers or practitioners in mental health?

Skills and characteristics of Mental Health

CJS/410

The University of Phoenix

SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MENTAL HEALTH 2

Skills and characteristics of Mental Health

Human Services Workers are one of the hardest working individuals

in the world. Human Services Workers deal with all types of people, and

they exist all over the world. Some of their clients include people with drug

addictions, alcohol addictions, abused woman, abused children, and the

mentally disabled. Without the work of human services workers, many

different groups of people would lack the services they need to survive.

This paper will describe a mental health human service delivery system

within the criminal justice. This paper will describe the services provided by

The King county Mental health court. This paper will describe the general

characteristics and skills needed to deliver mental health services

effectively to the mentally ill population in King County Washington. This

paper will also describe the characteristics, skills, and actions needed by a

mental health human service worker and how they differ from agents of the

Government.

Describe the services provided by The King County District Court

Mental Health Court.

According to "King County District Court Services" (2014), The King

County District Court Mental Health Court was established over 10 years

ago, to help better serve the community by addressing public safety,

reducing criminalization of persons with mental illness, and promoting

systems integration. The Mental Health Court represents an effort to

SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MENTAL HEALTH 3

Increase effective cooperation between two systems that have

traditionally not worked closely together - the mental health treatment

system and the criminal justice system.

The project hopes to achieve the following outcomes for the mentally

ill misdemeanant population: faster case processing time, improved access

to public mental health treatment services, improved well-being, and

reduced recidivism. An important outcome to be achieved from this

program for the larger community is improved public safety.

Describe the general characteristics and skills needed to deliver

mental health services effectively.

There are a few characteristics that a mental health service worker

must possess in order to be efficient. Some of Those characteristics

include a desire to help others, attention to detail, emotional and mental

strengths. In my personal opinion, the desire to help others is one of the

most important characteristics. The author believes that if a person does

not have the desire or want to help others, then they would not succeed in

this field. Additionally, if the desire to help others is not present, then not

only will the mental health worker suffer, but so will the mentally ill people

seeking and needing assistance.

If a mental service worker lacks in their desire to help the mentally ill

then, it will show in their attitude and behavior. It is imperative to possess

this quality so that the people in need receive the quality care that they

SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MENTAL HEALTH 4

need and deserve. If the worker does not have this characteristic, then they

will lack in all other areas.

Since mental health services workers interact with all types of

people, it is necessary that the worker be alert and pay close attention to

detail that the client may not divulge. For example, it is hard for an abused

child or an abused woman to share all of the details about their abuser. In

many cases, it is because of fear. Whatever the case may be, it is

important that all mental health services workers pay close attention to

detail in any situation. Another example where this would be important

would be when a mental health services worker is helping a physically and

mentally disabled person. In some cases, a disabled person cannot

express their desires. Sometimes a family member may be trying to help,

but the client is still unhappy. However, the client may show signs of what

they want or need to make them more comfortable. If the worker is paying

close attention, they can catch these signs and make decisions effectively.

The author has learned that it is also crucial for the mental health

services workers to take care of themselves. Dedicated workers can get so

involved in their work that they can become burnt out. It is important that

the worker takes care of them. If a person becomes worn out, it could affect

the way in which they interact with and help their client. In a sense, they

can become mentally ill while helping the mentally ill if they are not

constantly mentally and physically strong. With that being said, the worker

should ensure that they are mentally and emotionally strong to handle this

SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MENTAL HEALTH 5

type of work. Furthermore, they should ensure that they do not act out of

emotion.

While we all have our biases and beliefs, this should not affect the job

at hand. It may be a good idea to seek some consultative services to learn

how to deal with such biases.

How do the characteristics, skills, and actions needed by an agent of

the government differ from those skills needed by social workers?

According to "Social Workers in Government Agencies" (ND), Social

workers are key employees in federal, state, and local government

agencies. Social workers may work on-site at a government agency; at a

non-governmental agency whose client base is generated from their

relationship with a government agency; or in a contracting relationship as

independent consultants.

The differences between characteristics, skills, and actions of a social

service worker are not very many; in fact, they are similar in most ways but

one. An agent for the Government, primary concerns are to uphold and

enforce the laws of the constitution. The social workers main focus is to

help the client and make sure the client constitutional rights are not being

violated. For example, in a correctional setting the government agent would

be a guard and their duty is to maintain order, provide safety and prevent

escape. The social workers duty would be to help the client get the services

they need to return to the community and live a productive life. The guard

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authority will always override and social workers authority because of

safety issues within prisons.

In conclusion, mental health and social Services Workers are

hardworking individuals. It is important they possess certain characteristics

and skills that will help them be successful in the field of human and health

services. Those characteristics and skills include a desire to help others,

attention to detail, emotional and mental strengths, good communication

skills and creative thinking and resolution skills.

Each of the skills and characteristics is pertinent in effectively helping

the many clients that workers come in contact with on a regular basis. The

author feels that he does possess all of the skills and characteristics

required to be a successful human services worker, but also feels that the

field can improve in many areas. The King County Mental health courts are

a step in the right direction to help address the needs and problems with

our mentally ill population. Every county in America needs to implement the

same type of a court system in order to help the mentally ill and separate

them from the rest of the prison population.

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References

King county District Court Services. (2014). Retrieved from

http://www.kingcounty.gov/courts/DistrictCourt/MentalHealthCourt.aspx

Social Workers in Government Agencies. (ND). Retrieved from

http://workforce.socialworkers.org/studies/profiles/Government

%20Agencies.pdf