The 51st Meeting of the NH/VT Ethics Committees: Navigating Decision-Making Capacity amid Mental Illness Ulysses Clause Part 4 of 4

Dartmouth Health Continuing Education for Professionals Home, The 51st Meeting of the NH/VT Ethics Committees: Navigating Decision-Making Capacity amid Mental Illness “ Ulysses Clause “ Part 4 of 4, 10/25/2021 8:00:00 AM - 10/25/2024 9:00:00 AM, Decision-making capacity can be challenging to assess in patients with mental health diagnoses. Clinicians often struggle with the balance between a desire to respect autonomy and a duty to protect. In this conference, we will discuss challenges in decision-making capacity assessment involving adult and pediatric patients with mental health diagnoses.

Presenter
Cynthia Bruzzese, MPA, MSB - Cindy has served as the Executive Director of Vermont Ethics Network since 2008 and is a certified clinical ethics consultant (HEC-C). She holds Master™s Degree in both Public Administration (MPA) and Clinical Ethics (MSB) as well as a certificate in bioethics with specializations in health policy and law. Additionally, she works part time as a clinical ethicist at UVM Medical Center, Chairs the State of Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL) Ethics Committee, co-chairs the Central Vermont Medical Center Ethics Committee and directs Vermont™s statewide Task Force on Palliative Care and Pain Management. Her work for the past 20 years has focused on meeting the education and policy needs of health care providers, facilities, policy-makers, state agencies and the general public related to medical decision-making, health care ethics and end-of-life.

Learning Outcome(s)
At the conclusion of this learning activity, (at least 75% of) participants will be able to discuss current issues related to ethical dilemmas posed by patients with mental illness who are asked to make a health care related decision.

Disclosure
The activity director(s), planning committee member(s), speaker(s), author(s) or anyone in a position to control the content for this activity have reported NO financial relationship(s)* with ineligible companies**. 

* A financial relationship" includes employee, researcher (named as the PI), consultant, advisor, speaker, independent contractor (including contracted research), royalties or patent beneficiary, executive role, and/or an ownership interest (not including stocks owned in a managed portfolio).

** An ineligible company is any entity whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

Bibliographic Resources
Saks, Elyn R. Refusing Care: Forced Treatment and the Rights of the Mentally Ill. Chicago Press, 2002.
 
National Alliance on Mental Illness “ nami.org
 
Mental Health America - mhanational.org