22 - Community psychiatry and service delivery models

Summary

This chapter discusses mental health services for adults of working age and addresses other important groups, including children, older people or those suffering primarily from alcohol or drug misuse. Most texts on social psychiatry have focused on identifying social influences on the onset and course of mental disorders. The recent history of mental health services can be seen in terms of three periods: the rise of the asylum, the decline of the asylum, and balancing mental health care. For planning, delivering and evaluating mental health services, there is a clear need for an overall conceptual framework. Community mental health teams (CMHTs) are the basic building block for community mental health services. Specialised mental health teams are by far the most researched of all the possible components of balanced mental health service. Work represents an important goal for many people with severe mental illnesses.