"Sylvia Frumkin" has a baby: a case study for policymakers.
"Sylvia Frumkin" was a pseudonym given to a 32-year-old woman with chronic mental illness described by Susan Sheehan in her books Is There No Place on Earth for Me? This paper presents the case of "Gloria Morrison," a patient similar to Ms. Frumkin, who is also a mother. Issues raised by the case in three areas are discussed. Issues for the service delivery system include developing better assessment, prediction, and reduction of the risk that a parent's mental illness may pose to a child's safety and well-being; targeting supportive and educational interventions to relatives and foster parents caring for children of severely mentally ill patients; and tailoring programs and services to the needs of such patients and their children. Clinical treatment issues include offering treatment options through agencies other than the department of social services; developing protocols for the care of severely mentally ill pregnant and postpartum women; focusing on issues of loss; and providing parenting skills training. Issues in the area of family support include increasing providers' awareness of family burden and alleviating conflicts between the family and patient.
Nicholson
J
J
Center for Psychosocial and Forensic Services Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester 01655, USA.
Geller
J L
JL
Fisher
W H
WH
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011247:Pregnancy; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012947:Social Work / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D017211:Treatment Failure