The focal point of this paper is to explore the ethical, moral, and legal challenges of potential dual relationships as an advocate or mediator.
The presentation would be based on opinion on the integration of advocacy and mediation within the human services field.This would include personal philosophy and individual approach to advocating /mediating within a specific agency setting, i.e. Advocates for the Seriously Mentally Ill.From an ethical point of view providing assistance to the patients who are seriously mentally ill generates an additional responsibility in the sense that it becomes more important to develop their case in a more vivid and integrate manner so that they are able to get the most out of a system.
As human beings they are in a way invalid and are unable to judge for themselves in most of the occasions there their cases need to treated with more intricacy in order to yield the maximum beneficial result.On moral grounds providing assistance to the patients who are seriously mentally ill yield a certain level of understanding of the mostly unspoken pain of the sufferers. It becomes more important for an advocate or mediator to evaluate their present state of mind and work out a strategy that would be beneficial for the patients and the advocate or mediator at the same time.This requires a profound impetus of humane approach and an advocate or mediator should be able to present him as retiring while interacting with the patient and understand the basic problem.
The approach of an advocate or mediator should always be humble and modest.He should be unassuming in dealing with the patients and while presenting the argument an advocate or mediator should always convey the moral vibe in relation to the case concerned.The legal challenges in this case are often high and difficult as the advocate or mediator is often left with impersonal documentations as tool. For this purpose it is essential to drive deep within the parameters of the case and extract the logical and legal conclusion that would be most beneficial for the patient.It is true that legal proceedings always follows a rigid pathway of evidence and justification but it is the responsibility of an advocate or mediator to convey the common sense conclusion of a definite case or problem.
In general and on a personal ground the aspects of personal philosophy and individual approach to advocating or mediating within a specific agency setting such as the Advocates for the Seriously Mentally Ill are wide and multiple folds.But it should always be mentioned that the most important aspect of all in this case would be able to go deep into the subject matter with a near complete knowledge of whereabouts. This is the skill aspect of the trade.However, what really matters to me as an individual is the ability to be as humane as possible so that the pain of the patient would yield enough influence to motivate a person to gain the maximum possible result for the patient.
It should be mentioned in the conclusion that there are numerous agencies that provide assistance towards the seriously mentally ill patients.Few of these could be enumerated as Kinsmen Foundation, Human Resources Skills and Development, The Rehab Foundation, Coastal Health Authority, Provincial Health Services Authority, US Legal Services Society and Medical Help, Health Sciences Association, United Way and The Law Foundation of Ministry of Health and working as an advocate or mediator through these agencies make the job much more easy as they are extremely influential and excellent in their job. (King, 2006)References:King, H; 2006; Social Work Today; HBT & Brooks Ltd
