Is a social worker/mental health case manager authorized/licensed to diagnose someone with a mental illness?

Question

Or is that only the psychiatrist's duty? I think this is very dumb. My social worker called herself diagnosing my twin sister with mild Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder because of her obsession with women. Well, my twin sister is a lesbian, what do you expect? & she married a loser jerk guy & had 3 kids for him to try to hide her homosexuality, but she just recently came out of the closet.

When I was in NYC, my former case manager tried to consider me Bipolar because he tried everything in his power to make me look bad. Professional doctors don't consider me bipolar at all. I suffer DEPRESSION, but NOT Bipolar. I also have severe OCD, but I'm obsessed with trying to do things correctly, like my academics, & I'm obsessed with cleanliness & I have intrusive, unwanted thoughts. I also have Generalized Anxiety Disorder & Tourette's Syndrome, & it's hard for me to do daily activities. I struggle to get out of bed every morning.

Answer 1

I wouldn't trust a diagnosis like that unless it came from a psychiatrist or other medical doctor.

A psychiatrist has the authority to prescribe medication and to admit somebody to a hospital. Social workers, psychologists and case managers don't have that authority. They might have pretty good insight in how people with mental illness behave, but they don't have the training or education that a psychiatrist has.

Answer 2

Only a doctor can give you a diagnosis......a Social Worker, or Mental Health Case Manager regardless of their training, can NOT give you a diagnosis. Id complain to their manager. Bi polar is characterized by ups and downs, or mania and depression.......yikes Id find a new counsellor. PS OCD and having an obsession with women are two very different things

Answer 3

I think not. A social worker might suspect a condition and recommend evaluation by a psychiatrist or psychologist, but they have no business making a diagnoses.

I disagree that it is "all about training". If one is trained as a doctor, but not licensed, they have no business making a diagnoses. I know much about medicine and health issues, but I'm not a doctor, so my diagnoses of anybody is strictly a laypersons opinion. Officially, it means absolutely nothing.

Answer 4

it is all about the training -- do they have it?

if so then yes they are able to make a diagnosis.