B. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Initial assessment
2. Psychiatric management
3. General principles of treatment selection
4. Specific treatment strategies
a) Psychopharmacology
FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION
OF A TREATMENT PLAN
Psychiatric management for all patients with ASD or PTSD includes instituting interventions
and activities to ensure physical and psychological safety, required medical care, and availability
of needed resources for self-care and recovery [I]. The patient’s level of functioning and safety,
including his or her risk for suicide and potential to harm others, are always important to evaluate
during initial assessment and may determine the treatment setting [I]. The goals of psychiatric
management for patients with ASD and PTSD also include establishing a therapeutic
alliance with the patient; providing ongoing assessment of safety and psychiatric status, including
possible comorbid disorders and response to treatment; and increasing the patient’s understanding
of and active adaptive coping with psychosocial effects of exposure to the traumatic
event, such as injury, job loss, or loss of loved ones [I]. Additional goals of psychiatric management
include providing education regarding ASD and PTSD, enhancing treatment adherence,
evaluating and managing physical health and functional impairments, and coordinating care
to include collaborating with other clinicians [I]