In this final chapter of this course we cover legal and ethical issues related to mental health and abnormal behavior as well as related issues in contemporary society. How are those with mental illness treated in our society? Are there any notable differences between Boulder, the state of Colorado, the nation and the world? Do you agree with the sentiment that the way individuals with mental illness are treated by a society is an important measure of the success of that society? Why might the deinstitutionalization movement have failed? What resources are still needed at this time to improve the well-being of seriously mentally ill individuals? What do the changing criteria for the insanity defense tell us about different eras in our society? What are the benefits of establishing a standard of care for people with a specific psychological disorder, such as depression? Are there drawbacks to using the research base to specify clinical practice guidelines?
