Psychiatry and Psychiatric Disorders

Biography

Biography: Ajmal Kazmi

Abstract

Psychiatric Rehabilitation, enable individuals to compensate for or eliminate the functional deficits, interpersonal barriers and environmental barriers created by the disability, and to restore ability for independent living, socialization and effective life management. Creating new program or strategy is an art. Psychiatric rehabilitation is a combination of both; rehabilitation process through consumer choices (involvement) and assessment of readiness through the need for change. Core element of Psychiatric Rehabilitation include commitment for change, environment awareness, self awareness and closeness to practitioner. Rehabilitation Diagnosis is based on overall rehabilitation goals. Functional assessment include areas that need to be worked on and assessment of clients strengths and weakness. Resources assessment includes availability of the resources. This presentation describes the collaboration between a comprehensive community mental health facility in Karachi, Pakistan, Karwan-e-Hayat, and the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, U.S. This training was fostered and supported by a voluntary U.S. based organization, Carvan of Life. In the Fall of 2008 faculty from the Department provided on-site consultation and training to selected Karwan-e-Hayat_staff members and other invited professionals. The 17 week process was carried out via WebCT (an internet distance learning platform), SKYPE, and e-mail. Prior to this training Professor Smith visited Karwan-e-Hayat to meet staff, interview prospective trainee and learn about the facility. The consultation and training process continues with the eventual introduction of modified evidenced based practices into existing day programming and inpatient services. This presentation describes (1) the technical aspects of the process including Web based learning and SKYPE, (2) the assessment of service needs through their visit and the on-going consultation and training (3) differences and similarities between U.S. evidence-based practices and services at Karwan-e-Hayat, (4) the process from the perspective of Karwan-e-Hayat, (5) plans for implementations of evidence-based practices particularly Illness Management and Recovery, Family Psycho-education, and Case Management training. Discussion of the Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) group includes questions of appropriate fidelity measures, facilitator training and supervision and methods of on-going evaluation of the process (6) Training of the trainer program through Web based and SKYPE and to develop a Psychiatric Rehabilitation training center in Karachi Pakistan (7) Impact of training on the practitioners and (8) views of clients and their families about the benefits of the program.