U.S. Community Mental Health Systems

COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS IN THE UNITED STATES:

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of America's Community Mental Health System. The paper begins with a description and discussion of historical information regarding the development of the country's community health systems; the section includes discussion of two of the major contributive factors to community mental health in America, namely the development of psychotropic drugs, and the concept of "deinstitutionalization." Government involvement and legislation as well as humanitarian reforms in the treatment of the mentally ill are also discussed.

The presentation of historical background information provides a framework for the next section of the review which describes the present status of United States Community Mental Health Systems. To provide greater insight into America's present day systems, this section of the paper includes information on community mental health systems used in other countries.

The final section of the review examines the literature projecting the future of America's community mental health systems. Emphasized in this section of the report are the projected effects of such factors as managed care as a response to the reduction of federal funding. Prevention programs are also said to be part of the future system of community mental health in America. Programs are defined and examples are provided.

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and that although poor and squalid facilities do exist, many homes are of good quality, and are staffed by warm and caring people. However, the authors caution that more care and resources must be put into this system to ensure that dependent mentally ill have adequate housing. Segal and Kotler (1989) characterize board and care homes as sharing the bed-of-last-resort function with state hospitals. They do note, however, that these facilities can and often do provide: a) a diversity of environments to mentally ill people, b) a source of social support and thus prevent social deterioration, and c) respite care so that families caring for mentally ill relatives will not be overwhelmed. The authors also provide a number of recommendations for improving the current board and care facilities of the overall community mental health system. Specifically, they state that board and care homes need closer monitoring. Segal and Kotler (1989) also recommend that the amount of personal spending money available to residents be raised, so that people do not leave the homes to find cheaper, but usually inadequate, shelter. In this way, those being served by these facilities will also have more spending money. Further, they report that th

Category: Psychology - U