UCCI Course Description

A. Personality Test & Reflection

Students will take the Myers Briggs/Jungian personality test and the TAT test as examples of two ways to assess personality. After taking the two tests, students will reflect on the findings in a short essay, discussing if the results were expected or unexpected and providing examples from their own lives.

B. Mental Illness Causes, Symptoms, Stigmas, Prognosis

Students will be given a list of general mental/behavioral health illnesses and will use technology to identify causes, symptoms, stigmas, and prognoses of these diseases and create a table to share with their collaborative teams.  

C. Mental Illness Vocabulary

Students will identify, categorize, and describe common vocabulary utilized within the Mental and Behavioral Health Industries. Students will be given a scenario and asked to generate a response using the proper vernacular for the given situation.

D. Myths vs. Facts

Students will create an interactive tool using technology distinguishing between mental illness myths and mental illness facts to be used within their collaborative teams. Students will generate questions for the class and utilize technology to disseminate these myths and facts.

E. Careers

Students will be given the task of researching careers in both the Mental and Behavioral Health fields and place the information into their Digital portfolio for future reference.

F. Culminating Project:  Patient Portfolio Introduction

Introduction of culminating project to the students.  Students will work in groups of 2 to 4 students. Students will choose one of several mental illnesses that are presented by the teacher. Using research about patient profiles and case studies, student will create a working portfolio that highlights different aspects of their assigned mental illness (history, symptoms, prevention, etc.) and a Case Study of a fictional patient diagnosed with the mental illness. Throughout the year, students will analyze information they learn about the illness from each of the nine units and apply that knowledge to their patient profile and case study. At the end of the year, students will take on the roles of health care workers and present their patient profile to the class and community members.

The purpose of this unit is to provide students with an overview of significant events in the history of mental health/illnesses and an understanding of how perceptions of mental health have changed over time.  Students will use primary and secondary historical sources to follow the evolution of psychology, the development of the five main theories of mental health, and the contributions of historical figures who have had major impacts in diagnosis, treatment, and raising awareness of mental illnesses. Through construction of this timeline, they will explain and analyze trends in mental health. Using historical facts as a framework, students will write a first-person narrative about a fictional character living with mental illness in a chosen historical period.

A. Historical Timeline

Students will use valid, historical sources, both primary and secondary, to research their chosen mental illness with their team. Teams will then construct a detailed timeline of the history of their disease, including any important historical figures, dates of discovery and important breakthroughs in treatment or diagnosis.

B. Journal Entry

Using information from their research on their mental illness and their historical timeline, students will create a fictional narrative or journal entry from the perspective of a person suffering from their mental illness during an historical time period. They should include signs and symptoms, any treatments that were available at that time, perceptions of the disease at that time, and its effect on personal relationships.

Students will differentiate various types of brain disorders using medical terminology, and anatomy and physiology of the nervous system to identify, examine, and discuss how the brain and other body systems affect mental health. After experimenting with an animation of the brain and its neurotransmitters, students will construct a physical or virtual model of the brain and demonstrate neurotransmission through a creative visual format in order to develop foundational knowledge of brain neurology. Students will then hypothesize what could change biochemically and behaviorally in a patient when parts of the brain malfunction. They will then test their hypothesis through investigation of brain disorders to determine if their predictions of brain malfunction were correct and connected to a specific brain disorder. Students will examine the neurology of a chosen mental illness and explain the effects it has on a patient with that disease through a visual presentation. Students will compile information in their career journal regarding relative neuroscience vocations through an imaginary interview by developing questions related to the education and background necessary to becoming successful within this occupation.

A. Modeling the Brain

Students will use a virtual lab animation to explore the functions of the brain and how neurotransmitters work. They will then create a physical or virtual model of the brain and a neuron, identifying key structures and functions of both and showcase their model for the class.

B. Neurotransmitters

Students will demonstrate the chemical and electrical functions of neurons and their relationship to mental illness through creative visuals such as dance, photography, or art.  Additionally, students will develop charts that classify high and low levels of neurotransmitters and their corresponding connection to a mental illness.

C. Brain Disorder Lab

Students will investigate problems of abnormal brain function by demonstrating abnormal brain symptoms which may or may not result in mental illness. Examples include memory loss, hearing voices, paranoia, delusional reactions. These symptoms can be simulated through different role play activities found in online resources (see resources). After experiencing these symptoms, students will predict which parts of the brain and neurotransmitters are responsible for the malfunctions of senses and behaviors.They will record their predictions on a lab report. Next, they will test their predictions through close reading of brain disorders and their classifications. Students will write a reflection on their predictions.

D. Neurology of Disease Presentation

Students will use evidence-based, scientific sources to research the neuroscience behind their team’s chosen mental illness and create a presentation to communicate their findings. Students should include any known causes or current research, as well as a visual representation (virtual or tangible) of how the brain is affected by the disease. Students will incorporate their findings into their Patient Portfolio.

E. Career Journal Entry

Students will conduct an imaginary interview with a neuroscientist or other person in a brain-related field. They will come up with five questions related to their background or education and do research to answer those questions. Students will add this as an entry in their career journal.

Optional Assignment

Brain Dissection

Students will conduct a sheep brain dissection to identify parts and functions of the brain and relate this animal model back to human brain function through analysis questions and a lab write-up.

Students will compare and contrast assessment tools and methods used to diagnose mental illness by analyzing the criteria of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, practitioner intake exams, and neurological technology.  Students will analyze how diagnostic tools have changed over time. They will examine social stigma and judgments regarding “abnormal behavior” and disease diagnosis by creating personal definitions of abnormal behavior and compare these definitions to the four D’s of Diagnosis. Through research and  close reading of scientific manuals and technology studies students will examine bias in diagnosis and write a paper on the pros and cons of using the DSM for a reliable mental illness diagnosis. Students will also demonstrate mock patient care interviews which include examining signs and symptoms of abnormal behavior. Students will also examine brain scans to identify abnormalities that may indicate or rule out mental illness and record their findings in a lab report. They will differentiate the scope of practice of health care professionals who work together to diagnose a mental disease by constructing a flow chart of care. Finally, students will interpret and explain how assessment tools are used to diagnose their own fictional patient in their ongoing case study by designing a brochure that details the description and mechanism of action for those tools in relation to their case study mental illness.

A. History of Diagnosis

Students will examine the history, social stigma, and medical models used in diagnosing mental illness by researching a time period and an associated diagnostic tool. They will analyze the pros and cons of the methods used and their effectiveness over time. Evidence will be presented in a poster form and/or PowerPoint presentation.  

B. Defining Normal

Working in teams, students will create their own definitions for normal and abnormal behavior using criteria generated in class discussions. They will record their findings on a class matrix and cross reference the 4 D’s used in modern psychiatric diagnosis to evaluate their definitions.  Students will then create a concept map highlighting the similarities of their own diagnosis with the 4Ds. In conclusion, students must defend both the differences and similarities in a summary statement.

C. Pros and Cons Paper: Criteria for Diagnosis

Students will research and critique the scientific criteria and axis categories used in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. They will take notes predicting ways clinicians and society may have bias in their descriptions of mental illness. Through close reading of online articles, students will annotate and assess the subjective aspects of a mental illness diagnosis and the limits of a DSM  diagnosis. After this research, students will choose one diagnosis from the DSM and write a short argumentative paper debating the pros and cons of that specific diagnostic criteria and if any bias may have been used.

Article: Diagnoses of Mental Illness Hinges on Doctor as Much as Symptoms 

D. Mock Demonstration of Client/Patient Intake Interview

Students will study and review Self-Report Inventories and Clinician-rated scales used by clinicians in diagnosing mental illness. Working in teams, students will role play clinician and patient during a mock intake interview to evaluate possible signs and symptoms of a patient who may or may not have a mental illness. Using a rubric or journal entries, students will rate and make comments on the final diagnosis.  

Article: Depression in Primary Care: Tools for Screening, Diagnoses and Measuring Response to Treatment 

E. Neuroimaging (science)

Students will compare and contrast different neuroimages that reflect both normal brain scans and diagnosed brain disorders. They will record their findings in a lab report and explain the abnormal structures affected using medical terminology to the class.  

F. Career Journal: Scope of Practice Flowchart

In teams of 4, students will each choose a role within a mental health team (primary care physician, psychiatrist, case worker, etc) and will analyze a case study from the perspective of their chosen role. Each teammate will come up with a diagnosis within their scope of practice and construct a flowchart of care that illustrates how each healthcare worker contributes to a final diagnosis.

G. DSM-IV/V: Patient Profile

Students will apply their knowledge of diagnosis by analyzing the signs and symptoms of their assigned mental illness using the DSM-IV/V. Students must assign their fictional patient enough physical, mental, and/ or behavioral evidence in order to attach the diagnosis of the illness to their patient.

Students will understand the importance of early intervention tools in preventing mental health problems and illnesses through the analysis of macro (global scale) issues and policies and micro (individual) mental health issues. They will identify risk factors for mental illness and protective factors for positive psychology through analysis of patients’ risk factors, prediction of their danger of illness, and create intervention strategies.  Through self exams and research, students will analyze stressors in their own lives and stress management plans for themselves and their identified fictional patient. They will investigate the risk factors and signs and symptoms of suicide. By using first responder mental health first aid strategies, similar to physical first aid, students will assess and demonstrate effective communication and empathy skills needed to reduce emotional problems and suicide risk.  Finally, students will identify school and community agencies which practice and deliver effective positive psychology strategies by compiling data and constructing a resource manual. 

A. Macro vs. Micro Health Policies (Social Science)

Students will compare and contrast different types of social, individual, and political health issues that contribute to the increase of mental illness in a comparison essay based on the World Health Organization recommendations for positive psychology.  Students will also propose evidence-based research solutions to some of these identified problems. Examples include looking at poverty and homelessness (macro) and genetic and stress (micro).

B. Autonomic Nervous System and Stress Response (Science)

To understand personal stressors that contribute to future mental illness, students will study and create a human map that represents the Autonomic Nervous System. They will then be given certain “in class” stressors and using biodots or other indicators (vital signs such as heart rate) students will chart their stress response and record on a classroom graph.  

C. Stress Management Plans  

Students will keep a two week diary that records and adds comments about their daily habits, scale of stress, and feelings about what might be causing them to feel stressed.  After examining their diary, students will create a Stress Management Plan for themselves. This plan will include identified stressful habits and internal/external forces that might contribute to their stress.  They will identify two short term goals and two long term goals that target new ways to eliminate stressful factors and new ways to deal with unavoidable stressful factors. Students will commit to these goals by making pledges and using the SMART goal program that includes a timeline for meeting these goals.  Students will also explain in writing, using scientific evidence, how each new goal (habit) contributes to stress reduction.

D. Stress Management Brochure

After research using science and evidence-based sources, students will create a tri-fold brochure detailing stress management techniques. They should include causes and triggers of stress, the effect of stress on physical, emotional, and mental health, and ideas for preventing, coping, and managing stress.

E. Risk Assessment for Suicide  

After analyzing data and case studies on suicide risks, students will create a risk assessment for suicide for teens and adults and conduct a mock interview on suicide risk.  Students must use communication and interview skills to assess possible risk for suicide and rate their “client” as low, medium, or high risk and execute certain recommendations for care.  

F. Community Resource Map

Using computer generated maps of the school, neighborhood, and city, students will magnify in poster form and highlight different resources within their own communities and within the city that can help teenagers with stress and mental health issues.  They will identify the types of resources (such as Education, Coaching, Counseling, Medical, Alternative clinics, etc.) and possible barriers to assessing these resources (transportation, cost, parent permission etc.) on the map using student-designed acronyms/abbreviations/ and logos.  

G. Public Service Announcement

In teams, students will create a public service announcement that discusses symptoms, warning signs, causes, and prevention of their team’s chosen mental illness. Students will create either a video or a poster to showcase their PSA.

Students will explain current treatments and recovery options for people diagnosed with mental illness. They will compare and contrast psychosocial therapies and biological treatments through evidence based research and pharmacology analysis. Students will examine the rationale behind each treatment, the effectiveness of practice, and how recovery is measured and present these findings in a research paper and medication advertisement.  Students will also identify barriers to treatment, particular with pharmaceuticals, by designing, implementing, and presenting results of a school wide survey on attitudes towards prescription medications.  Next, they will research possible solutions to overcome these barriers. Using literature analysis, students will read and interpret poems and essays that reflect pros and cons of different intervention methods used for treatment and how it affects a person holistically. For the pharmacology analysis, students will create an advertisement that illustrates the drug’s dosage, use, chemistry, and mechanism of action. Through a treatment plan, students will define and describe practices that improve the holistic aspects (social, occupational, educational, spiritual, and financial) on individuals living with a mental illness. They will also assess the four stages of recovery in their treatment plans and describe non-medical support systems (from self-help guides to recreational support)and how these systems contribute to care. Finally, students will research and organize community resources that offer treatment and recovery plans and apply that knowledge to their ongoing case study.   

A. Psychosocial Therapies Paper

Students will explain and analyze the history, rationale, and effectiveness of at least four different psychosocial therapies used today in the treatment of mental illness (Psychodynamic, Cognitive Behavioral, Gestalt, etc.) and write a comparison paper using evidence-based research.  Students should include which therapy they feel works best for most mental illnesses and defend their choice.

B. Pharmacology and Medication effectiveness: Media

Using background knowledge of the neuroscience in unit three, students will explain how anti-depressants and psychotic drugs affect the brain and the mechanism of action on different neurotransmitters. The format they will use will be an advertisement for the drug (visual or print) that details the medication’s intended use, mechanism of action on neurotransmitters, possible side effects, and dosage for use.  

C. Barriers: Patient Compliance

To understand one of the most common barriers to patient compliance in treatment of mental illness, students will survey their classmates and families on attitudes towards medication. Students will create, execute, analyze and show results of the survey in graph form. Then students will research solutions that combat fears and myths associated with taking medication. The solutions will be documented and posted in a creative poster format.

D. Literature Analysis

Using excerpts from short stories, poems, and book chapters (such as poets including Sylvia Path and Jane Kenyan. Oliver Sachs book, The man Who Mistook His Wife for a hat; etc) students will examine the effects of mental health treatments on individual lives.  Students will gather textual evidence and synthesize their findings in a short paper that discusses the social, physical, and emotional consequences of treatment and non-treatment. Last, they will also create a poem that illustrates the psychosocial effects of living with a mental illness.  

E. Treatment Plan/(Patient Portfolio component)

Students will  write a treatment plan for their fictional patient which includes: any medications or other biological treatments, therapies, any foreseen barriers and a recovery plan. The plan should also include options for a holistic approach to treatment and recovery.

F. Western careers and Non-traditional Eastern medicine can work together on a career plan

In their career journals, students will list several careers in western medicine associated with mental health, and some Non-Traditional Eastern medicine. They will compile this list and use it to show how both of these can work together in a career plan. For example, Western Doctor using traditional medication and a form of non-traditional therapy as well.

In order to understand the difference between personal moral judgements and ethics that would guide them as practitioners, students will define and classify relationships between morals and ethics within the mental health field utilizing ethical principles, legal precedence, patient rights, appropriate vocabulary, and patient confidentiality standards.  Students will complete a value assessment of their own moral viewpoints and write a comparative essay examining how individual values inform ethics in healthcare decisions. Students will assume the role of patient advocate in a collaborative team format and defend their findings to a medical ethics committee comprised of students within the class and/or representatives in the field.  Students will examine an ethical dilemma given in class within the mental illness realm and formulate both a pro and con position in preparation for a class debate. The students will defend and justify their randomly chosen position through a structured class debate. Students will evaluate current and proposed state and federal laws affecting mental health patients and policy decisions to the class.

A. Ethics Debate

Students are given an ethical dilemma in mental illness and are asked to research in preparation for a classwide debate. In class, students are assigned a position in the debate (pro side, con side, judge, jury member, etc) and are given time to prepare their position based on their research. After preparation time, the pro and con teams will argue their sides with moderation by the judge and the jury will deliberate and decide in favor of the pro or con side.

B. Advocating for Patients

Students will practice acting as an advocate for a person with the mental illness that their team has been researching throughout the year during a role-play situation in class. They will review a dilemma in which an ethical decision needs to be made, will prepare an argument, and defend that argument to the class, which is acting as an “ethics committee.”

C. Value Assessment

Students complete a value assessment of their own moral viewpoints and reflection on their relation to ethics and write a comparative essay about the relationship between morals and ethics.

D. Mental Illness Law

Students research laws that affect people with their chosen mental illness and write an essay discussing the current and proposed laws related to the disease. Students should also discuss how these laws affect patients with the disease and how any proposed laws may change how they are affected.

Students will identify, classify, differentiate and summarize the various health care systems that may provide mental health services in the United States and California.  In groups, students will research an assigned Health Care System (such as Hospitals, clinics, Long Term Care Facilities, etc.) and prepare and give a presentation that explains how the system works and how effective it is in delivering quality mental health services.  Students will also investigate the various methods for paying for mental health services. They will identify and analyze factors that drive up the cost of overall healthcare and what may contribute to lack of quality psychosocial care for individuals and families. Students will research and diagram careers within health care administration, finance, medical informatics and health information technology. 

A. Health Care Systems

Students will work in collaborative teams to research existing Health Care Systems within California and the United States. Teams will be given one Health Care System to research, outline, summarize and explain to the class through a presentation utilizing technology. The research and presentation must include a rubric assessment (designed collaboratively by the class) that evaluates  mental health services provided by their assigned Health Care System.

B. Ideal Health Care Plan

Students will design an ideal health care system for their fictional case study patient.  Based on research, students will create an illustrated poster or pamphlet that details their system’s philosophy of care and how it addresses the needs of their patient’s diagnosed illness.  The plan must include a billing plan, explanation of a healthcare team, and how the team addresses the physical, social, spiritual, and mental needs of their patient. The final product must also include a map of the system’s main departments that address the patient’s needs.    

C. Managed Care Cost Simulation

Using a “game” format, students will take on the role of their own fictional case study patient or family member of that patient.  Each student will draw random “cards” that highlights different lifestyle and health variables: Patient’s job; Patient’s income; a co-morbidity physical symptom; and family (married or single, children, etc).  Next, students must choose between at least 5 different fictional or real health care insurance plans and defend why this plan is the best one to address their mental illness and their lifestyle and finances. Each student must calculate the cost of their situation and enter it into a shared Google sheet. The class will then calculate the cost of healthcare for their entire class as a simulation of a community. After the simulation, students will reflect on the cost of the health care needed by the class and will calculate how these costs would be different given different parameters (a different type of insurance, for example). Students will then create a written future needs assessment based upon the case study findings.

D. Career Journal Entry

Students will conduct research and present a diagram of careers in medical billing and coding, insurance companies, governmental/private/public agencies, and managed care teams dealing with the mental illness and  behavioral health within the Health Care Systems. They will present their findings on a poster.

In this unit, students will be introduced to different worldviews about mental health by comparing and contrasting different worldviews on mental health. Using research from the World Health Organization(WHO) and experts on cultural competency in health care, students will learn how mental health is viewed, diagnosed and treated in different cultures, especially in relationship to stigma and secrecy. Students will create a career journal entry that will enable them to learn about some of the efforts global health professionals are making to improve the mental health of people around the world. They will learn about health concerns that must be addressed in the near future and how the focus of health workers is changing as the global population grows and cities around the world expand. They will explore various professions in the field and explore ways that they could pursue a career in global health by creating a classified ad to fill a vacancy. They will also explore the various ways that the WHO and other international agencies deals with mental illness in emergencies such as natural disasters and displaced people.  Students will present their culminating projects on the mental illness that they have been working on throughout the year.

A. Finding Solutions

Students will explore the WHO website (www.who.org) and at least one other organization addressing global health needs and find at least three current initiatives that are in place in order to improve the mental health of people around the world. Students will analyze these initiatives and evaluate their effectiveness in addressing cultural sensitivities, access to care, and use of both scientific and traditional strategies to diagnose and treat mental illness.  Students will educate the class by creating a short presentation on their three initiatives. By the end of all presentations, the class will discuss and defend which initiatives currently in place best serve mental health needs around the world.

B. Career Journal Entry: Job Application

Students will be given a writing prompt asking them to create a job application flyer for a specific career in global health (such as Program Managers, Medical Professionals, Technical Advisors, Researchers, etc.) in hopes of filling the job with a qualified individual.  The flyer must contain specific qualifications, prerequisites, salary, types of organizations connected to that career (governmental, NGO, etc.)and any other pertinent information for the position. In their career journal, students will reflect on the pros and cons of the global health career and how the career’s scope of practice addresses or does not address mental health needs.  

C. The Future of Healthcare/ Patient Portfolio Case Study Presentation

In this culminating project, students will present their portfolio and case study of the mental illness and fictional patient they have been exploring throughout the year to a panel of teachers and community members.  Students will also extrapolate what the future will look like for those people living with their chosen illness based on current trends. Finally, students will create an ideal system that addresses the holistic needs of a person living with the illness.  This could be portrayed in a flow chart or diagram showing the ideal healthcare system the students have been researching throughout the year.

Optional Extension:

Students will present their findings to an agency in the local area that provides advocacy for those with mental illness.