Curriculum Overview

CriticalThinkRx is an 8-module, web-based curriculum designed to promote critical thinking skills about psychiatric medication issues among non-medical professionals (social workers, mental health practitioners, psychologists) who work with children and adolescents in a mental health or child welfare setting. Each module takes 15-20 minutes to view. You can pause and restart at any time.

Course participants will obtain critical thinking skills about:

• Evolving best practices for non-medical professionals working with clients receiving psychiatric medications.
• Ethical and legal issues concerning practice with clients receiving medications.
• The marketing of psychiatric medications and the role of the pharmaceutical industry in influencing physicians’ prescribing practices.

The eight modules were created by experienced researchers and clinicians after systematic literature searches conducted in 2006-2007 on databases in medicine, pharmacology, public health, social work, counseling, and psychology. Content materials for the curriculum were selected based on relevance for child welfare, accuracy, and independent funding.

Module 1 – Introduction, Case Studies, Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Client’s Medication

Module 2 – Increasing Use of Psychotropic Medications: A Public Health Concern

Module 3 – The Drug Approval Process

Module 4 – Pharmaceutical Industry Influences on Prescribing

Module 5 – Specific Drug Classes: Critical Review of Uses, Efficacy and Safety

Module 6 – Non-Medical Professionals and Psychotropic Medications: Legal, Ethical, and Training Issues

Module 7 – Medication Management: Professional Roles and Best Practices

Module 8 – Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions for Childhood Problems

Download curriculum outline
Complete curriculum references PDF (32 pages)

Click here to go to Module 1