Thomas Styron - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Thomas Styron

American Psychologist, 2019

Hospitals, with their unique practice constraints and opportunities, are one of the most importan... more Hospitals, with their unique practice constraints and opportunities, are one of the most important arenas wherein the field of clinical psychology has developed throughout its history. However, there have been few efforts to comprehensively examine the literature on this topic. This is a literature worth examining, not only out of historical interest but also in the effort to provide direction for the field. Accordingly, systematic, scoping review methods were used to address the question: What does the psychology literature tell us about the nature and evolution of psychology practice in hospitals? The review identified 115 papers on this topic dating from 1916-2017, primarily in the form of practice commentaries and case studies. Analysis of the papers revealed 2 broad themes. One involved the nature of hospital practice, which concentrated on the major domains of assessment, psychotherapy and research activities along with issues related to training. The second involved structural and policy-related considerations such as cost-effectiveness and reimbursement models, leadership, the structure of practice, relationship to physicians, and hospital privileges. Implications of the review include the need for better data on the hospital practices of psychologists and continued work on role definition and the unique value of psychology. Other implications include direction for training models, practice models such as stepped care and a compromise between program and department-based management, privileges, and mental health reform. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 2003

Group Therapy for Psychoses, 2018

Pour des usagers de la psychiatrie acteurs de leur propre vie, 2012

Individuals treated in public sector community mental health centers often have chronic or recurr... more Individuals treated in public sector community mental health centers often have chronic or recurrent illnesses and diffi culties in housing, employment and social activities that compound one another. Understanding that this complex of clinical symptoms and functional compromise constitute the illnesses we treat, researchers at the Connecticut Mental Health Center (CMHC) described the variability in long-term course and experience of patients as they lived with their illnesses, engaged patients in their own treatment and that of others, and documented scientifi cally the value of an integrated network of clinical and community services. As part of an academic department of psychiatry, the CMHC has provided opportunities for translational research that brings basic neuroscience to bear on community care, and for training researchers and clinicians able to address the complexity of the illnesses and humanity of the patients. Most people treated in public sector community mental health...

Journal of School Violence, 2017

This article reports on the role, activities, and lessons learned of a state mental health author... more This article reports on the role, activities, and lessons learned of a state mental health authority-the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services-in responding to the mental health needs of families and community members following the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Following the introduction, we provide a brief case study of Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services' role in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting. This role included use of the Incident Command System (ICS) to deploy a standing statewide network of clinicians who provided direct care for surviving children and school personnel, victims' family members, and others, and coordination of its mental health response with the activities of other state, private, and individual players. We then discuss key themes and lessons learned and offer recommendations to mental health authorities for planning and implementing their own responses to possible like incidents in the future.

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 2019

Background: One integral way by which individuals in recovery pursue meaning and productivity in ... more Background: One integral way by which individuals in recovery pursue meaning and productivity in their lives is via employment. Unfortunately, the vast majority of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) who express the desire to work remain unemployed. Families have the potential to play an important role in the domain of supported employment (SE), though may not have the knowledge or skills to do so. Aims: This quantitative study aimed to better understand the perspectives of family members on the role of employment in recovery and the barriers faced by their loved ones in pursuing work. Method: Participants included 86 family members of individuals with SMI who were affiliated with their state NAMI Chapter and agreed to take part in an online survey. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to determine meaningful differences between the highest and lowest ranked statements for each main research question. Results: Family members recognize that employment is important to recove...

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 2019

OBJECTIVE Voting is a fundamental right in democratic societies. Despite this fact, persons with ... more OBJECTIVE Voting is a fundamental right in democratic societies. Despite this fact, persons with serious mental illnesses (SMIs) frequently encounter barriers to exercising this right. The purposes of this Brief Report are to emphasize the importance of electoral participation in this population, to describe common barriers, and to outline relevant federal and state laws. METHOD We conducted a review of the relevant psychological and legal literature. FINDINGS Due to the structural barriers that they encounter, individuals with SMIs are less likely to vote than the general population. Federal laws that protect voting rights for persons with disabilities are the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, the Americans With Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Help America Vote Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the National Voter Registration Act. State laws concerning voter competence, photo IDs, voter challenges, and incarceration practices can affect the electoral participation of persons with SMIs. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE We offer recommendations for mental health professionals and other stakeholders who are interested in addressing barriers and engaging in advocacy efforts that might increase voting opportunities among persons diagnosed with SMIs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless, 2000

An increasing number of studies in recent years have examined the issue of family homelessness. T... more An increasing number of studies in recent years have examined the issue of family homelessness. The majority of this research has taken a quantitative approach, focusing primarily upon the demographics and characteristics of homeless mothers and children and the conditions of shelter facilities. The goal of this study was to examine the experience of family homelessness from an alternative perspective through interviews with formerly homeless mothers about their lives before and after leaving the shelter system. In-depth interviews with 24 formerly homeless single mothers in New York City were conducted and subsequently analyzed employing a qualitative-narrative approach. Major themes that emerged from the women's life stories are elucidated: poverty, neglect, abuse, troubled interpersonal relationships, and mental health concerns. Surprisingly, a majority of women spoke of their experience in the shelter system in positive terms. This and other findings are discussed in the context of the women's life experiences and support services provided by the New York City shelter system. Social policy issues and recommendations for future research and program development are presented.

International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 2018

Psychiatric Quarterly, 2017

For more than two decades, the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) has provided alternative approaches t... more For more than two decades, the Hearing Voices Network (HVN) has provided alternative approaches to supporting voice hearers, and an emerging body of research is now confirming their value. HVN approaches present unique opportunities and challenges for mental health professionals and systems of care that work with individuals who hear voices. An overview of the HVN is presented, including its history, principles and approaches. HVN approaches are compared and contrasted with traditional mental health treatments. HVN's potential contribution to the transformation of mental health care is discussed. Directions for future research are presented.

Empowerment, Lifelong Learning and Recovery in Mental Health, 2012

Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.), Dec 3, 2016

September 28, 2016, marked the 50th anniversary of the Connecticut Mental Health Center, a state-... more September 28, 2016, marked the 50th anniversary of the Connecticut Mental Health Center, a state-owned and state-operated joint venture between the state and Yale University built and sustained with federal, state, and university funds. Collaboration across these entities has produced a wide array of clinical, educational, and research initiatives, a few of which are described in this column. The missions of clinical care, research, and education remain the foundation for an organization that serves 5,000 individuals each year who are poor and who experience serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

Evidence-Based Practices in Behavioral Health, 2016

This chapter defines and distinguishes between two related concepts of “recovery” in relation to ... more This chapter defines and distinguishes between two related concepts of “recovery” in relation to serious mental illnesses and the provision of “recovery-oriented care.” With this distinction in place, the chapter then outlines four key principles for applying the principles of recovery-oriented care to inpatient psychiatry. This first principle is that it is the person’s own recovery, reframing the aim of inpatient care to preparing the person to manage his or her condition and life following discharge. The second principle that follows from this is that Recovery-oriented care needs to be person/family-centered and culturally responsive to be relevant to the person’s life. Given the high prevalence of trauma among persons with mental illness and the potentially traumatic nature of hospitalization itself, the third principle is that inpatient staff should anticipate, and welcome, trauma survivors through the provision of a safe, respectful, and collaborative environment. Finally, principle four is that the interdisciplinary team needs to be expanded to include the person him or herself, his or her identified family members, and the community-based providers who have worked with the person in the past and/or will work with the person following discharge. In closing, the respective role of each of these team members within the context of recovery-oriented inpatient care is described.

Academic Psychiatry, 2016

Building the mental health workforce and creating interest in the next generation for working in ... more Building the mental health workforce and creating interest in the next generation for working in community mental health settings is a key priority for recovery-oriented practice, the organizing principle for community mental health care. There is a need for behavioral health professionals interested in working with underserved populations, and providing experiences with these populations early in the career trajectory [1]. Workforce development is an even greater focus with passage of health parity laws and the affordable care act, especially as close to one in five Americans experiences a mental illness [2]. There is a need to prime the pipeline with people interested in working in community mental health [3] and to create excitement at the undergraduate level. Opportunities to gain practical experience in mental health settings are limited, but the call for providing early exposure to behavioral health career paths is clear [4].

Yale Textbook of Public Psychiatry, 2016

Over the course of the last two decades, homelessness has become one of America's major social pr... more Over the course of the last two decades, homelessness has become one of America's major social problems. On any

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 2001