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Clinical triggers from the Traumatic Life Events Clinical Assessment Protocol (CAP) identify individuals who might benefit from formal services or additional supports targeted towards trauma treatment. The Traumatic Life Events CAP identifies two groups who have experienced one or more potentially traumatic life events: (1) those who are in immediate danger due to current abuse/criminal victimization; (2) those who have experienced one or more traumatic events that evoked an intense sense of horror or fear. Descriptive analysis was conducted across psychiatric hospital and community-based mental health service settings to compare the two triggered groups to those without traumatic experiences (the not-triggered group). The Traumatic Life Events CAP identified subpopulations with unrecognized and untreated traumatic-stress-related symptoms, which are of great concern for those in community-based mental health services who are in immediate danger due to current abuse.

Consumer involvement and service transparency have, in recent years, become inherent components of policy guiding the provision of public mental health and social care services. The current study wished to deepen insights on these issues, as they unfold in public services reforms in Israel and England, through an examination of key policy documents describing reforms in both countries. The results of this research show the often tacit ways policy can “talk the inclusive talk”, but only limitedly “walk the inclusive walk”, offering some interesting observations regarding the linkage between involvement and transparency in mental health and social care services.

To determine feasibility of implementation of a weight loss program for overweight Latinos with severe mental illness. In this quasi-experimental study, a 14-week behavioral weight loss course (extended) was implemented at one clinic. A one-time nutrition class (brief) was given at a sister clinic. Implementation feasibility was assessed by consent and participation rates. Weight was followed for 6 months. Consent rates were high [77 % (49/64) extended; 68 % (39/57) brief], and 88 % (43/49) of extended subjects participated and 88 % (38/43) completed follow-up. Weight loss did not differ between groups. A behavioral weight loss course is feasible to implement for this population.

Individuals with mental illnesses experience disproportionately high rates of social adversities, chronic medical conditions, and early mortality. We analyzed a large, statewide dataset to explore associations between four social adversities and the presence of one or more, and then two or more, chronic medical conditions among individuals in treatment for mental illnesses in New York State. In Poisson regression models adjusting for multiple covariates (e.g., gender, age, smoking status, alcohol use), the presence of one or more adversities was associated with the presence of at least one medical condition (prevalence ratio (PR) = 1.21) or two or more medical conditions (PR = 1.46), and two or more adversities was associated with at least one medical condition (PR = 1.25) or two or more medical conditions (PR = 1.52) (all significant at p < .0001). Greater attention to primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of chronic medical conditions is needed in mental health treatment settings, especially among those experiencing social adversities.

This pilot study examined violence risk assessment among a sample of young adults receiving treatment for early psychosis. In this study, thirty participants were assessed for violence risk at baseline. Participants completed follow-up assessments at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months to ascertain prevalence of violent behavior. Individuals were on average 24.1 years old (SD = 3.3 years) and predominantly male (n = 24, 80%). In this sample, six people (20%) reported engaging in violence during the study period. Individuals who engaged in violence had higher levels of negative urgency (t(28) = 2.21, p = 0.035) This study sought to establish the feasibility, acceptability, and clinical utility of violence risk assessment for clients in treatment for early psychosis. Overall, this study found that most individuals with early psychosis in this study (who are in treatment) were not at risk of violence. Findings suggest that violent behavior among young adults with early psychosis is associated with increased negative urgency.

The prevalence of smoking is higher among individuals with serious mental illnesses than the general population. Evidence-based practices exist for tobacco cessation, but little is known about mental health clinics’ tobacco cessation treatment practices/protocols. Mental health clinics in New York State were surveyed about their tobacco use treatment protocols and outdoor-smoking policies. One-third of clinics were not providing individual counseling for tobacco use disorder, 39% were not prescribing nicotine replacement therapy, and nearly half reported not prescribing bupropion or varenicline. Even smaller proportions reported implementing other clinical practice guidelines, with only 25.2% providing staff training and 20.3% having a dedicated staff member for coordinating tobacco use disorder treatment. Regarding outdoor smoke-free policies, 38% of clinics reported not allowing any tobacco use anywhere on grounds. Despite some successes, many clinics do not provide evidence-based tobacco use treatments, meaning important opportunities exist for mental health clinics and oversight agencies to standardize practices.

To understand mental health clinics’ chronic disease screening and prevention activities, we surveyed mental health clinics in New York State regarding 16 preventive services. Both numerical and qualitative data were collected. Responding clinics (123, 24.7%) were most likely to report having up-to-date screening/management of tobacco use (114, 92.7%) and were most likely to refer out for infectious disease and cancer screening (57.7%–62.6%). Compared to private/non-profit clinics, county- and state-operated clinics were more likely to refer out for infectious disease screening and to ensure up-to-date: lipid disorder screening, abnormal glucose screening, HIV screening, and cancer screenings. Clinics reported a need for: (1) hiring more (dedicated) medical staff; (2) providing staff trainings; (3) educating patients; and (4) integrating with patients’ primary care providers. Implementing proven approaches—and developing new ones—for enhanced chronic disease prevention activities through improvements in policy, staffing, and reimbursement is warranted in mental health clinics.

Community mental health nurses sometimes join multi-disciplinary teams, but the role has not been defined and studied carefully. This article describes the psychiatric Nurse Care Coordinator (NCC)—a unique position created to support care management, facilitate systematic medication management, and coordinate medical care in the Social Security Administration’s 30-site Supported Employment Demonstration. The authors reviewed the study’s NCC manual, supervised and consulted with the NCCs weekly over nearly three years, and reviewed data on NCC activities. Although the 984 participants assigned to NCCs experienced numerous mental health, substance use, and chronic medical conditions, only 59% completed intake assessments and engaged over time with NCCs. For those 581 participants, NCCs spent approximately 51% of their time helping with mental health issues, 35% on medical care, and 12% on substance use conditions. The NCC was critically important for complex, high-need individuals.

This study examined the relationship between racial/ethnic match and treatment outcomes for 224 women who participated in a clinical trial of group treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the effect of client–therapist racial/ethnic match on outcomes. Results revealed racial/ethnic match was not significantly associated with session attendance. There was a significant three-way interaction between client race/ethnicity, baseline level of PTSD symptoms, and racial/ethnic match on PTSD outcomes. White clients, with severe PTSD symptoms at baseline, who attended treatment groups where they were matched with their therapist, had greater reductions in PTSD symptoms at follow-up than their counterparts who were racially/ethnically mismatched with their group therapist. Racial/ethnic match did not confer additional benefits for Black clients in terms of PTSD outcomes. Racial/ethnic match interacted with baseline substance use to differentially influence substance use outcomes at follow-up for all women. Clinical implications are discussed.