The Mental Health Professional and the New Technologies: A Handbook for Practice Today

Rating:
Summary: The real missing manual
Review: Dr. Maheu and her co-authors have done an astounding job in putting together this reference/guide/manual to the application of electronic technology in mental health. I cannot think of any issue that is not addressed. Topics range from voice recognition software to electronic record keeping, email to video conferencing, web-based client education to online clinical practice. Two chapters offer an extensive discussion of ethics and legal issues with cautions as well as guidelines for professionals who would venture in this area of behavioral health. Three chapters are devoted to managing a clinical practice incorporating the new technologies. Real-life vignettes scattered throughout the book give us glimpses into what our colleagues are doing. We are even pointed toward a site where someone has set up a chat room where professionals curious about but weary of this medium can try it out. The authors' approach is balance in not just touting the benefits of these new technologies, but also pointing out risks, barriers and the need for research. If you have developed a professional website or thought about doing so, communicated with a client by email, or mused about monitoring client progress via a computer you need to add this book to your reference library.