Friday #MentalHealth #MythBuster: Only MDs & PhDs Provide Mental Health Treatment

#Psychiatrists, Medical doctors, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, Licensed Social Workers, Licensed Mental Health Counselors and Pastoral Counselors are all qualified to provide mental health treatment

#A psychologist (PhD or MA) has a graduate degree in psychology

#A professional who provides mental health treatment may have more than 1 credential e.g. PhD, LMSW, LCSW, CSW, MD, or MS

#A person who uses a credential she/he did not earn is liable to be fined or jailed if reported to their professional licensing board

#Over two-thirds of Americans who have a mental illness live in the community and lead productive lives (www.NAMIMH.org)

#Mental illness not only includes people with chronic mental illness such as Bipolar Disorder, Depression or Schizophrenia, but also people with other disorders who may not show signs to the untrained eye

#Mental illness does not go away but rather improves with treatment, education and support from families and the community

#Studies show that most people with mental illnesses get better, and many recover completely (www.SAMHSA.gov)

#Using the internet as a source for mental health information, diagnosis or a way to treat mental illness is not best practice and can include misleading & inaccurate information


*Today’s blog featured contributions from Dr. Sidney Hankerson, MD--Psychiatrist; Susan Cameron, LCSW--Licensed Clinical Social Worker & Asha Tarry, LMSW--Licensed Masters Social Worker