Long Term Care Services: Knowledge Sharing

LTCS's Staff Are Leaders In The Field of Forensic Mental Health.
How Do They Share This Knowledge and Educate Others About Mental Illness?

Long Term Care Services continues to be a driving force in sharing forensic expertise within the State of California. Staff members facilitate and present at a variety of conferences.

The Forensic Mental Health Association Annual Conference is the largest forum for forensic information sharing. A sample of the presentations from Long Term Care staff includes: "The Artistic Images of a Paranoid Schizophrenic Patient"; "Nutrition and Addiction"; "The Violent Psychopath in Psychiatric Treatment"; Practical Considerations in Treating Hispanic Patients"; and "Teaching Self-Control of Illness to Mentally Disabled Offenders: Medication, Symptom and Emotion Management."

The Atascadero State Hospital Clinical Safety Project (CSP) is an internal applied research program with a focus on the monitoring and prevention of inpatient violence and staff-patient boundary violations. Works completed include presentations at several national conferences this past year. A ten-year and ongoing study on the effects of inpatient violence. A proclaimed annual Season of Non Violence. Training has been developed and instituted at a level for supervisors, and staff, on relationship security specific to the risks associated with relationship boundaries in a clinical setting. Nearing completion is a patient orientation video designed to dispel the prison culture and assist new patients in making the transition from prison to hospital.

Over 200 clinicians attended a two-day training session at Atascadero State Hospital (ASH) presented by Dr. Karl Hansen, a research psychologist with the Canadian Department of the Solicitor General. Dr. Hansen presented research findings with respect to assessing the future risk of sex offenders. This training was pertinent to the further refinement of SVP clinical evaluations and treatment of the growing population of Sexually Violent Predator commitments at ASH. The audience included ASH clinical staff and private contractor evaluators.

In October 1998, five (5) staff from Metropolitan State Hospital (MSH) presented papers at the American Psychiatric Association in Los Angeles.

Patton State Hospital hosted its Sixth Annual Forensic Mental Health Conference on September 16 and 17, 1998. Approximately five hundred fifty (550) participants signed in to one or more presentations.

The Department presented a workshop to the California District Attorneys Association (CDAA) on the subject of the DMH role in evaluation and treatment of sexually violent predators.

The Child and Adolescent Program at Metropolitan State Hospital (MSH) entered into an agreement with Harbor/UCLA Medical Center to provide a fellowship program at the hospital.

Napa State Hospital hosted a major training conference attended by 375 community and hospital staff on the subject of connections between language/learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, and the criminal justice and mental health systems. Nationally recognized speakers presented information on these connections and on effective treatment options.