Abstract
This paper describes the establishment of an educational group, Health through Education in Law and Psychiatry (HELP), within an inpatient forensic psychiatric assessment service. Until recently HELP sessions have been provided twice weekly to suitable patients during their stay of some 30 days at the Metropolitan Toronto Forensic Service (METFORS). We first outline very briefly the function of METFORS, then describe the HELP project broadly, and finally discuss the rationale of the program in greater detail. Our point is that programs of this type form an added resource in assessment and in the early stages of treatment. We also argue that, along with the accepted clinical role in assessment, forensic psychiatrists and colleagues in related disciplines can serve a valuable role as teacher and therapist.
Footnotes
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At the time of this research, Dr. Jensen was Deputy Director, Clinical, and Dr. Webster was Research Scientist, Metropolitan Toronto Forensic Service, Clarke Institute of Psychiatry. Dr. Jensen is presently Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, and in private practice in Stratford, Ontario. Dr. Webster is presently Head, Psychology Department, Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, and Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Criminology, University of Toronto. Address reprint requests to Dr. Webster, Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, 250 College St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8. The authors are indebted to the Clarke Institute Research fund for providing grant support for this project.
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This paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in October 1985.
- Copyright © 1988, The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
