Serious mental illness-Psychology's call to action: If not us, who? If not now, when?

While psychology has much to contribute to the care of individuals living with a serious mental illness (SMI), psychologists have been and continue to be underrepresented as their treatment providers. However, serving those living with an SMI presents an urgent public health need. In this article, we provide an overview of the historical role of psychology in the care of individuals with SMIs, and we argue that a confluence of factors renders this a propitious time for psychologists to increase their commitment to the care of those living with an SMI. These factors include (a) the availability of strengths-based and/or functional assessment tools and effective psychosocial interventions, often created or empirically tested and enhanced by psychologists, (b) the continuing evolution of a recovery movement which brings more optimism to the field, and (c) the establishment, over the past 15 years, of an APA recognized and approved infrastructure to provide and recognize formal SMI Psychology training and expertise. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Fred J. Frese III (1940-2018).

Fred J. Frese III, called a "national treasure" by Mike Hogan, Chair of the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, died July 16, 2018, at his home in Hudson, Ohio, surrounded by his family. Fred was an extraordinary human being who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and rose to become an influential and accomplished psychologist who inspired all he met. Fred presented Congressional testimony to both Houses of Congress, appeared on several national TV and radio broadcasts, and spoke worldwide. Fred was a fellow of the APA and received the Association's Distinguished Service Award in 1987 and a Presidential Citation in 2005. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychosocial Services for Individuals With Serious Mental Illness/Severe Emotional Disturbance: Clinical Practice Guideline Toolkit.

This article presents a short, easy-to-use guideline for clinicians working with people with serious mental illness, particularly those with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorders, other psychotic disorders, or depression with significant impact on functioning, and may be of use for those working with individuals with bipolar disorder. This guideline is not meant to supplant the more detailed, excellent clinical practice guidelines that have been developed and published. Rather, the charts and explanation presented here are designed as a step-by-step tool that clinicians can use to ensure they are following the most appropriate course of action and providing the best psychosocial rehabilitation services possible for persons with these disorders. Program managers can use this tool to evaluate the processes used in their system to ensure that appropriate services are offered for the individuals in their care. This guideline is also not meant as a substitute for comprehensive training in the practice of assessment and treatment for individuals with serious mental illness. Very little detail is provided about the disorders, appropriate assessments, and interventions because clinicians providing services to people with these disorders should have received the specialized training necessary to appropriately deliver the services needed by these individuals.