RELIAS- Supporting Client Rights for Paraprofessionals in Behavioral Health

Which of the following is language that promotes the dignity and respect of your client?

"What pronouns do you prefer to use when referring to yourself?"

You are meeting with a person who is just starting to receive services at your organization. Your job is to explain what services are available and how clients can access them. You are required to have the client sign a form indicating that they have received and understand the information. Their primary language is Spanish, but you do not speak Spanish. Which of the following is the best way to handle this situation?

Arrange for a staff person who is fluent in Spanish to explain the information to the client to ensure they understand it.

One of your clients tells you they want to file a formal complaint against you. They ask you how to go about this. How should you respond?

Explain the process for filing a complaint.

True or False: Clients who have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness lose their legal right to vote.

False

Which of the following is an inalienable right?

Freedom from abuse

Which type of legal right is a client exercising when they vote?

Freedom/liberty

You assist a clinician at your organization with an anger management group. Several of the members of the group are quite vocal about their beliefs. Some of their beliefs are racist. The clinician decides to limit the group to only White individuals. Her hope is that by doing so, she can prevent the members who are racist from disrupting the group. Why does this approach violate the legal rights of clients?

It is discriminatory toward individuals who may want to participate but are not White.

One of your coworkers wants your client, Nadine, to participate in a weight loss program. He is seriously worried about her health since she is pre-diabetic. Nadine is not interested in the program. Your coworker is insisting that Nadine participate. Which of the following should you tell your coworker?

Nadine has the right to refuse to participate in the program.

Your coworker Max tells you that he is new to the field. He has had no training in how to use restraints. He tells you that he feels confident he can effectively restrain a client though. You see that he is quite large, and it would be unlikely a client could overpower him. Max asks you when he can use restraint on his own when working with clients. What should you say?

Not at all until he is trained

A program provides clients with sugar-free gum when they make their bed in the morning. If a client chooses to not make their bed, they do not get the gum. In this example, which term best describes being given the gum?

Privilege

Lonnie repeatedly makes sexual comments about another client's body. The other client, Mary, has asked Lonnie to stop. She is very uncomfortable with his sexual comments. She asks a staff person for help. The staff person explains that unfortunately, Lonnie has the right to freedom of speech, and they can't stop him. He tells Mary she should "take it as a compliment and just move on." As this person's coworker, what should you do?

Report your coworker for violating Mary's rights.

One of your clients asks you to attend their annual person-centered planning meeting. The case manager tells the client you are not allowed to attend. How should this have been handled?

The client's right to decide who can participate in the person-centered planning meeting should have been honored.

What should you and your team emphasize when creating a client's treatment or service plan?

The person-centered planning process and individualized clinical assessments

A staff member is preparing a meal for the residents of the group home where they work. As they are moving a pot of boiling water, they spill the water on a client. The client is burned from the incident. For this action to be considered a form of abuse, which of the following would also need to be true?

The staff person knowingly, recklessly, or intentionally spilled the water on the client.

A support staff's job includes helping complete activities of daily living in the client's home. While at the client's home, the staff person suspects the client is using drugs. The staff person asks the client to use the bathroom. While in the bathroom, they search the medicine cabinet for drugs. True or False: The staff person has violated the client's rights.

True

A patient on an inpatient unit is distressed because of her delusions. She keeps yelling about aliens stealing her thoughts. The other patients don't seem to notice. However, the staff members are annoyed with her behavior. One of the staff members suggests increasing her dose of antipsychotic medications. Their hope is that the medication will sedate her and keep her quiet. Which statement is true?

Using medication in this way is an unlawful use of chemical restraint.

Under which of the following circumstances would you need a signed authorization from the client before releasing their confidential information?

When a client wants you to talk to one of their family members about their services

You observe your coworker Nate violate the rights of a client. You do not report it. However, you share the information with two other colleagues, Melissa and Shane. They do not report the incident either. Which of the following best summarizes who has committed a client rights violation?

You, Nate, Melissa, and Shane

A client became aggressive during mealtime. They turned over their soup and spaghetti. Their face, hands, and clothes are now filthy. The client has calmed down and requests to go take a shower and change their clothes. The staff person tells them they can shower when they have learned how to manage meals appropriately. True or False: the staff person can deny the client from showering since they are filthy based on their own behaviors.

false

An intake clinician at an outpatient clinic is meeting for an initial visit with a new client. The client would like to participate in outpatient therapy and receive case management services. They do not wish to participate in the clinic's extensive group treatment sessions. The intake clinician tells the client that they feel group treatment would be really helpful for them. They tell the client that the other services they want to receive are only an option if they also agree to attend the groups. The client really wants to be able to see a therapist and a case manager, so they also agree to attend the groups. The intake clinician documents that the client consented to participate in treatment. True or False: The client in this example provided informed consent.

false