Psychiatric Rehabilitation Consultants (PRC)

This workshop is designed to improve the knowledge, attitudes and skills of mental health and rehabilitation practitioners working with Consumers who have serious and persistent mental illness. A major aim of the workshop is to translate and apply the most current research findings and clinical treatment techniques to the practical realities of day-to-day service programs. The course includes information and guided practice in the areas of psychiatric diagnosis and functional assessment, practical psychopharmacology, social skills training, family management, vocational rehabilitation and community support systems. Participants in this workshop learn through live and video demonstrations, role play exercises, overhead transparencies, and planning application of the methods at their home agency. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Consultants can "train the trainers" in mental health agencies, hospitals or community programs to conduct this workshop with their own colleagues. The clinical manual, Psychiatric Rehabilitation of Chronic Mental Patients (see page 12), as well as the video, Rehabilitating the Chronic Mental Patient (see page i8), are elements used in this one or two day workshop.