Social Work Practice in Mental Health

Robert Bland is Honorary Professor of Social Work at the Australian Catholic University and the University of Queensland, Australia.Gabrielle Drake is Professor of Social Work in the School of Social Sciences at Western Sydney University, Australia.John Drayton is Lecturer, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at the University of Queensland, Australia.Ann Tullgren a social worker and mental health advocate with a lived experience of mental illness.

“This impressive book offers a comprehensive and contemporary account of social work practice in mental health. It is highly relevant and valuable for students, researchers, and practising social workers. The new edition marks a significant advancement, bringing enhanced conceptual depth and practical insight that firmly establishes it as an essential text in the field.”Abner Poon, Associate Professor, University of New South Wales, Australia“This is a book for this time when there is mounting evidence of mental health problems that pervade every aspect of human service work. It provides essential reading for all those embarking on a social work profession as well as those already practicing, and indeed for all human service workers. It clearly establishes the opportunities and challenges present today as well as meeting the challenges it sets itself. Utilising new research data and important evidence from lived experience, it plainly sets out the skills and knowledge required to work independently, in teams, with consumers and with and in communities.”Maria Harries, AM, PhD, Senior Honorary Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia, Australia

• Part 1: The Context for Practice 1.A starting point: Understanding social work in mental health 2.The Lived Experience of Mental Illness 3.Concepts and Issues for Mental Health Practice 4.The Policy and Legal Context for Mental Health Practice 5.Overview of Mental Health Disorders Part 2: Social Work Practice 6.Assessment for Social Work Practice 7.Social Casework in Mental Health Settings 8.Working with People with Mental Illness Across Service Systems 9.Working with Families 10.Working with Communities 11.Sustaining Social Work in Mental Health Agencies