COUN 251A
Medical Aspects of Psychiatric Disability & Basic Psychopharmacology

Fall 2006
Thursdays 4:00 – 6:50 pm
Room: ED 178

Instructor: Lee Za Ong, Ph.D, CRC
Office: ED 436
E-mail: lzong@csufresno.edu
Office hours: Mondays 1:30 – 4:30 pm; Wednesdays 1:30 – 3:30 pm; and by appointment
I. COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES
A. Rehabilitation counselor knowledge and skill proficiencies related to medical information as per the COUNCIL ON REHABILITATION EDUCATION (CORE) ACCREDITATION MANUAL (http://core-rehab.org/manual/manual.html)
C.9 MEDICAL, FUNCTIONAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF DISABILITY
Knowledge areas:
• The human body system
• Medical terminology
• Medical, functional, environmental and psychosocial aspects of
o Physical disabilities
o Psychiatric rehabilitation
o Substance abuse
o Cognitive disability
o Sensory disability
o Developmental disability
• Dual diagnosis and the workplace
• The concept of functional capacity
• Wellness and illness prevention concepts and strategies
Outcomes as demonstrated by the ability to:
C.9.1 explain basic medical aspects of the human body system and disabilities;
C.9.2 access resources for researching disability information;
C.9.3 explain functional capacity implications of medical and psychosocial information;
C.9.4 apply working knowledge of the impact of disability on the individual, the family, and the environment;
C.9.5 support consumer empowerment and advocacy as it relates to medical treatment;
C.9.6 utilize existing or acquired information about the existence, onset, severity, progression, and expected duration of an individual's disability; and
C.9.7 consult with medical professionals regarding functional capacities, prognosis, and treatment plans for consumers.
B. Specific goals for this course:

THE STUDENT WILL LEARN:
• a basic vocabulary of common medical terminology, medical treatments and procedures relevant to psychiatric disabilities
• to understand the functional impact of chronic, psychiatric illnesses
• to understand principles of health and wellness that can improve the lives of persons with chronic, psychiatric illnesses and disabilities
• to relate medical information to rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation planning
• to understand the roles of various health care professionals and the process of interdisciplinary health and rehabilitation teamwork
• to become familiar with medical treatments, complementary and alternative medicine approaches, health promotion, and prevention efforts to reduce or accommodate for the functional limitations imposed by chronic, psychiatric conditions
• to identify the vocational, social, and independent living implications of various psychiatric disabilities
UPON COMPLETION OF THIS COURSE, THE STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO:
• translate psychiatric and psychological information into rehabilitation goals and recommendations
• assist clients in understanding the functional implications of their psychiatric condition
• assist clients in assessing the potential benefits of medical treatments, health promotion, recommendations, services, and accommodations
• communicate with and function effectively as a member of an interdisciplinary health care team
• use medical reference/resource books, continuing education, journals and professional consultation for keeping up to date on psychiatric and health promotion information
• be able to read, interpret, and utilize psychiatric and psychological reports and utilize the information for rehabilitation planning
II. REQUIRED READING
Pratt, C. W., Gill, K. J., Barrett, N. M., & Roberts, M. M. (2006). . Psychiatric Rehabilitation. (2rd. ed.). CA: Academic Press.
Meyer, J. S., & Quenzer, L. F. (2004). Psychopharmacoloy: Drugs, the Brain and Behavior. Sinauer Associates
Other Assigned Reading as handouts, blackboard or website readings
III. RECOMMENDED REFERENCES AND RESOURCES
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR
The Merck Manual
http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/home.jsp
http://healthweb.org/
National Alliance on Mental Illness
http://www.nami.org/

National Institute for Mental Health
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/
Medical Dictionaries
Online dictionaries: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mplusdictionary.html
IV. COURSE STRUCTURE AND EXPECTATIONS
The format for class sessions will include lecture, discussion, demonstrations, and other learning exercises. Students will be expected to:
1. complete the assigned reading(s) prior to each class session
2. attend the entire class session each week
3. complete all assigned activities on time
Students are urged to seek writing assistance to improve writing skills. Call the English Writing Center (278-0334), use the CSUF On-Line Writing Center (http://www.csufresno.edu/writingcenter/) or consult with the instructor for the course.
"I wish to fully include persons with disabilities in this course. Please let me know if you need any special accommodations in the curriculum, instruction, or assessments of this course to enable you to fully participate. I will try to maintain the confidentiality of the information you share with me."
V. REQUIRED ACTIVITIES
A. Examination
1. One final accumulative exam will be given. Exams consist of matching, multiple-choice, true/false, short answer, and essay questions. 100 points possible on the exam; exam content will cover material from assigned readings and class lectures/discussions over the semester.
B. Service Learning Activities
The service learning activities will increase students’ direct experience with people with disabilities in the community. It is expected that students will work with people with disabilities in two or more of the following:
(a) Survey the number, types, location, leadership, membership and resource base of organizations for and of people with disabilities in State College and Center County.
(b) Offer volunteer service to organizations of and for people with disabilities in areas of public consciousness raising, community resource identification and mobilization;
(c) Set-up self-help groups for people with disabilities where none exist, and support those newly formed groups with coordination and activity facilitation;
(d) Help with the coordination and activity facilitation of self-help groups of people with disabilities that may be in existence.
(e) Enhance the resource awareness utilization profile of people with disabilities and their self-help groups.
(f) Assist people with disabilities in areas of need identified by or with the individual(s) with disabilities or their agency.
(g) Work with individuals with disabilities in the community to monitor and support compliance with any medicinal, physio and occupational therapy regimens that may be required.
All students will be required to complete an experiential component with a person with a disability in which they will identify and assist activities related to living with a disability. In addition, they will be required to complete one activity in which they will work with organizations/self-help groups for or of people with disabilities with a view to enhancing participation of their communities. A minimum total time commitment of 24 hours to service learning, spread across the semester is required of each student.

Service Learning Distribution of Effort. (Total 100 points)
At the beginning of the semester, the students will elect at least two experiences with people with disabilities disability they are seeking, and the specific activities they would like to complete. Selection will be from among those mentioned previously or additional ones that may be nominated by the students and approved by the instructor. Students can work as individuals and/ or teams. Individuals and/ or teams of students will be required to come up with an activity plan involving people with disabilities which must be approved by the individuals with disabilities or their organizations and the instructor; field-based learning option to be elected by September 14, 2006. Submission of a final activity plan is worth 10 points towards the final grade.
Journals or Logs. Students will be required to maintain a journal of the specific activities that they achieved with a person with a disability or people with disabilities. The journal will minimally include (a) date, times, location, number people with disabilities involved and by type; (b) activities carried out with people with disabilities; (c) expected time frame and impact of the activities on the quality of life of people with disabilities and their community participation; (d) the lessons the students learned about living with a specified disability; and (e) how this experience may influence subsequent involvement with people with disabilities. People with disabilities working with the students or their organizations will also be requested to submit periodic logs on the students’ participation with them. The journals and logs will be shared with the instructor, interest groups (other students working with same disability type), and the whole class.
Journals must be typed, and submitted to the instructor weekly and for the entire field based learning period (or up to 24 hours of contact). They can be submitted electronically to my e-mail address as attachments. Journals can also be submitted at the end of class on Mondays. In all cases, students must write their full names and ID numbers on the journals.
At the beginning of the service learning experience, and no later than September 21, 2006, students must turn in a written activity plan agreed to between him/herself or themselves and the individual(s) with a disability and/or their organization. The plan should include the following: (1) Names of Individual with a Disability, Contact Address and telephone; (2) Statement on the voluntary nature of participation by both the person with a disability, agency and the student, and mutual freedom to terminate participation without penalty; (3) Context of experience (e.g., work, recreation, hospital); (4) Period of involvement (month, days, hours of contact: to add up to 24 hours); (5) Learning goals and activities; (4). Other (as may be necessary), and (5) Signatures.
At the end of the experiential learning period, and no later than December 7, 2006, students should submit to the instructor a written narrative report from the individual with a disability or agency on the quality of the experiences that were shared. The format and length of the report is open. Students should formally request the individual with a disability or participating agency for such a report by November 30, 2006. This is important in order to avoid putting the individual with a disability or their agency under undue time pressure. The reports from the individuals with a disability or their agency will suffice as external evidence on your field experiences. The weekly journals or logs and the in class presentations will be the internal evidence of your participation.
Journals will be assessed for the personal development and public scholarship qualities with people with disabilities. Feedback from the individual with a disability or his/her agency will contribute a significant proportion of the 20 points to be earned from journals on the field experience.
In-class presentations. Opportunities for whole class presentations on field work experiences with individuals with a specific disability will be provided as part of, or follow-up to in-class presentations on a specific disability. Presenters will be scheduled the class calendar based on students’ pre-election of the specific disability-related experience. Students are encouraged to electronically submit their draft presentation to the instructor at least 2 days before due, if needing feedback prior to presentation . The final writeup should be submitted to the instructor on day of presentation.
The in-class presentations should cover the following aspects (a) the specific disability type and period of involvement; (b) context of experience; (c) activities with the person with a disability and expected impact; (d) lessons learned about living with a disability; and (e) anticipated learning opportunities with continued involvement. In-class presentations on field experiences with people with disabilities will contribute a maximum of 20 points towards the final grade.
Term paper. Students will also submit a term paper on their fieldwork experiences with individuals with disabilities, organizations and community resources that are utilized by individuals with disabilities or could serve people with disabilities. The term paper would also discuss how people with disabilities are a resource for the community and ways in which this often overlooked resource can be better integrated by civic organizations. The term paper should 4-7 pages long and will be assessed for comprehensiveness and writing quality. The term paper on field experiences with people with disabilities will contribute a maximum of 50 points of the final grade. The term paper is due on the same day with the class presentation (or as soon as possible after completing the field-work).
C. Case Evaluations
Complete 5 case studies (10 point each) from the textbook and turn them in anytime before the semester end (12/14/06). You can turn in your case studies one at a time throughout the semester or five at a time anytime before the last day of the class (12/14/06). The case studies must be typed, double-spaced and in APA 5th ed. style. Grading will be based on comprehensiveness (i.e., coverage of all required elements) and writing quality.
D. Class Participation & Weekly Reactions
Each week, I will distribute a flash card at the beginning of the class and you will write a paragraph on your reactions/questions/comments to readings, experiences with people with disabilities, media portrayals, etc. The reactions will be collected at the end of the class and count as your attendance. Your reactions/questions/comments will then be posted in the class/blackboard and used for discussion. Please feel free to write about anything that is relevant to the class as your reactions/questions/comments will be kept strictly anonymous. 5 points will be deducted for an unexcused absence.
VI. GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNED PAPERS
A. Assignments are due on the dates specified. If you have any difficulties meeting the deadlines, please discuss the situation with the instructor.
B. All assignments must be typed. The paper will be evaluated on content, organization, comprehensiveness, originality, neatness, clarity of expression, understanding and interpretation of the material and conciseness.
VII. STUDENT EVALUATION
100 pts Final Exam
100 pts Service Learning Activities
50 pts Case Studies
50 pts Class participation & Weekly questions/ comment

Total Points: 250 points
Extra Credit: Extra credit will be available through extra case studies, up to two case studies (5 points each, for a total of 10 points.)
Final grades will be calculated as follows:
A = 200 – 180 pts 90 to 100%
B = 179 – 160 pts 80 to 89%
C = 159 – 140 pts 70 to 79%
D or F = below 140 pts Below 70%
Cheating and Plagiarism (from the Fresno State Office of the Provost):

“Cheating is the actual or attempted practice of fraudulent or deceptive acts for the purpose of improving one's grade or obtaining course credit; such acts also include assisting another student to do so. Typically, such acts occur in relation to examinations. However, it is the intent of this definition that the term 'cheating' not be limited to examination situations only, but that it include any and all actions by a student that are intended to gain an unearned academic advantage by fraudulent or deceptive means. Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating which consists of the misuse of the published and/or unpublished works of others by misrepresenting the material (i.e., their intellectual property) so used as one's own work." Penalties for cheating and plagiarism range from a 0 or F on a particular assignment, through an F for the course, to expulsion from the university. For more information on the University's policy regarding cheating and plagiarism, refer to the Schedule of Courses (Legal Notices on Cheating and Plagiarism) or the University Catalog (Policies and Regulations).”

Disruptive Classroom Behavior (from the Fresno State Office of the Provost):

"The classroom is a special environment in which students and faculty come together to promote learning and growth. It is essential to this learning environment that respect for the rights of others seeking to learn, respect for the professionalism of the instructor, and the general goals of academic freedom are maintained. ... Differences of viewpoint or concerns should be expressed in terms which are supportive of the learning process, creating an environment in which students and faculty may learn to reason with clarity and compassion, to share of themselves without losing their identities, and to develop and understanding of the community in which they live . . . Student conduct which disrupts the learning process shall not be tolerated and may lead to disciplinary action and/or removal from class."
VIII. COURSE OUTLINE
8/31/06
• Course introduction and review of syllabus
• A functional approach to medical information for rehabilitation counseling

9/7/06
• Ideas and beliefs about health, wellness, illness, and disability
• Body systems
• Medical terminology

9/14/06
• Overview of Psychiatric Disabilities and Vocational Functionning
• The role of DSM-IV

9/21/06
• Principles of Pharmacology
• Methods in Neural and Behavioral Pharmacology

9/28/06
• Synaptic Transmission
• Neurotransmitter Systems

10/5/06 Mood Disorders

• Major Depression
• Bipolar Disorder
• Psychopharmacology of Mood Disorders

10/12/06 Anxiety Disorders

• Agoraphobia & Social Phobia
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Psychopharmacology of anxiety disorder

10/19/06
• Eating Disorder
• Somatoform disorder
• Suicidal Behavior

10/26/06 Personality Disorders

• Paranoid Personality Disorder
• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Antisocial Personality Disorder
• Psychopharmacology of Personality Disorder

11/2/06 Childhood Disorder

• ADHD
• Psychopharmacology of ADHD

11/9/06 Schizophrenia & Other Psychotic Disorders

• Schizophrenia
• Schizoaffective Disorder
• Psychopharmacology of Schizophrenia & Other Psychotic Disorders

11/16/06 Substance-Related Disorders

• Alcohol Dependence
• Sedative Dependence
• Cocaine, Cannabis, etc.

11/23/06
• No Class, Thanksgiving recess

11/30/06
• Service learning activities presentation

12/7/06
• Service learning activities presentation
• , Final Exam Review

12/14/06
• Final Exam


**This course schedule is subject to change with notice and at the course Instructor’s discretion. If you are absent it's your responsibility to find out about assignments. **