More on Community Mental Health Centers amendments of 1969.

Results of a survey of 22 psychologists in Kentucky comprehensive care centers revealed that most Ss did little or no research. It is recommended that research and evaluation be federally supported to allow mental health centers to hire research psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The training program of the National Institute of Mental Health: Its implications for mental health programs.

The year 1956 marked the tenth anniversary of the Training Grants Program of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). From very meager beginnings in 1948 they had advanced to the very substantial position which they now occupy in fiscal year 1957. This article looks backward briefly to when the National Mental Health Act was passed with the goal of improving the mental health of our nation. It describes the objectives and growth of the NIMH mental health program, which was established to help attain this goal. The article also describes several ongoing public mental health programs that reflect NIMH training grant support and problems in program implementation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patients, programs, and results in a comprehensive mental health center.

Examined the economic value of output for a group of 581 mental health center patients. Results suggest that the best return for the program dollar and the best response for the patients can be attained by treating patients in the lowest intensity programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Research survey: State mental health programs.

"In preparation for the 1959 meeting of chief psychologists in state mental health programs a questionnaire on research was prepared and sent to 77 psychologists who were either functioning as chief psychologists in state programs" or in similar positions. Replies were received from 39 individuals, representing 30 states. "Evaluation of treatment was listed most frequently as an area in need of research." At least 45 different types of ongoing research projects were listed. "Three factors were emphasized as the main obstacles to research in the state programs: lack of personnel… lack of funds… emphasis on service, with subsequent lack of time for research." Psychologists were "seen as the individuals most involved in mental health research in state programs." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental evaluation of mental health programs.

The purpose of this paper was twofold: to illustrate the application of classical research methodology to an examination of problems in a social environment, specifically the mental health field; and, to point to some of the strengths and weaknesses of this approach. A quasi-experimental design and its application to the study of effects resulting from an introduction of a comprehensive psychiatric center into a region of Saskatchewan not previously so served was presented. The definition of relevant criterion variables and appropriate controls in this context was discussed. Preliminary results of the study were considered, with attention given to such parameters as change in incidence of psychiatric case-load and changes in admission rate. Positive features of this type of design in terms of its utility for specifying variables in specific problem areas, and limitations in terms of the need for some additional more broadly based research strategy, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescent mental health: Prevention and treatment programs.

Adolescent mental health represents a neglected area of research. Mental health objectives include the promotion of optimal functioning as well as the prevention and reduction of maladaptive functioning. This article examines behaviors and conditions that place adolescents at risk for adverse outcomes and the urgent need for prevention and treatment to promote adaptive functioning. The current status of prevention and treatment programs is discussed along with critical issues including the interrelation and contribution of both prevention and treatment; the interplay of basic and applied research; and the need to extend existing interventions as well as to devise new models to address underserved, understudied, and high-risk populations. Research on the role of adolescent development, paths toward adjustment and maladjustment, and special opportunities that adolescence presents for intervention are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Community Health Centers: Exciting Opportunities for the 21st Century.

What are important and increasingly available settings for psychologists interested in practicing primary behavioral health care? Community health centers (CHCs) represent the medical "safety net" for millions of uninsured and medically underserved Americans. The recent push to expand mental health services at CHCs creates the need for psychologists and other mental health providers, particularly those familiar with primary behavioral health care approaches. Federal funding to recruit and retain psychologists at CHCs has increased along with opportunities for multidisciplinary service approaches and training. The potential ways in which psychologists can respond to demonstrated societal needs and develop new clinical skills and methods at CHCs are described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental disorders of Eskimos seen at a community mental health center in western Alaska

The charts of 343 Eskimos seen at a community mental health center in northwestern Alaska were reviewed, and data on demographic characteristics, DSM-III-R diagnoses, and history of suicide attempts were collected. Substance use disorders were the most common group of mental disorders. Substance use patterns differed substantially according to age and gender. Both children and adults had high rates of attempted suicide (66 percent and 67 percent). Rates of bipolar disorder and eating disorders were substantially lower than those seen in mental health clinics serving the general U.S. population.     

A method for quality assurance in a community mental health center. Community psychiatry in Copenhagen

The purpose was to describe a method for quality assurance in community mental health centres. Three psychiatrists and a multiprofessional treatment team conceived the method. The community mental health center--which was the basis for the work--was the Copenhagen centre for the sectors Vesterbro and Kongens Enghave. The target group for the centre is people with serious mental illness. The work is done according to the principles for clinical case managers. Data are registered in a national database in combination with the centre's own registration system. Eleven indicators for process quality and eight for outcome quality were selected. Measurement parameters for there indicators were defined. Criteria and standard were defined according to existing knowledge and the author's clinical experience. The necessary programs for calculating the value of the chosen standards are constructed. With the use of existing data and a limited extra registration it was possible to evolve a method for quality assurance in a community mental health centre.     

Styles of clinical supervision in community mental health programs.

Five styles of clinical supervision were identified. Data collected from 164 clinical staff members working in 22 different community mental health programs suggested that staff prefer the didactic-consultative, insight-oriented, and feelings-oriented styles over laissez faire and authoritative styles. Also, they reported receiving more didactic-consultative supervision than any other type. The greatest discrepancy between actual and preferred levels occurred for insight-oriented supervision. Ratings of supervisory style tended to be correlated with overall satisfaction with supervision but not with reported clinical self-confidence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patient feedback at a community mental health center: Year three.

Follow-up of 99 former patients (ages ranged from 13 to over 55 yrs) at a community mental health center revealed that more than 85% felt they had been helped by therapy; that income and education variables did not influence perceived degree of help received, number of therapy sessions, or perceived interest of the counselor in the patient; and that most Ss neither sought further help nor felt that they needed it after termination. The more that Ss felt the therapists were interested in them, the more they felt helped. Results replicate those of E. Kaschak (see record 1980-23693-001). New variables included in the current study suggest that therapists may be more stringent evaluators of therapy outcome than patients. Sex of client also appeared to influence therapist's ratings, as women were considered improved more often than men. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Community mental health: Corpse or phoenix? Personal reflections on an era.

The death of community mental health practice has been predicted for many years. In the US, the community mental health era began in the mid-19th century. However, the movement reached its height, conceptually and programmatically, in the national program of the 1960s and 1970s. Ideological shifts have led to its decline since that time. Nevertheless, the contributions of the community mental health movement have permeated the current service structure, and the future rise of more community mental health activities appears inevitable. These trends are traced in a personal odyssey through the era. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quality assurance: An approach to accountability in a mental health center.

Although the potential benefits of quality systems are substantial, the development of effective systems is complicated by many difficulties. The present article describes a multidisciplinary quality assurance system that was developed in a comprehensive children's mental health center to cope with some of these difficulties. The system incorporates central elements of effective quality assurance activity: definition of standards, promotion of high-quality service, and evaluation of quality. It is proposed that some of the problems encountered in developing quality assurance systems can be minimized by taking into account principles of behavior modification, data from organizational research on worker participation and self-motivation, and established techniques of psychological assessment. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Symptom characteristics of counseling center and mental health service clients.

Selected university students who requested either personal counseling at the counseling center (43 males and 101 females) or psychotherapy at the mental health service (40 males and 53 females) were administered the Symptom Distress Checklist-90. This is a self-report symptom rating scale intended to assess the degree of distress associated with presenting symptoms; scores are organized along 9 symptom dimensions and 3 global indices of pathology. There was no significant difference between users of the counseling center and users of the mental health service when compared on levels of distress associated with presenting symptoms. The implications of these findings for the organization of mental health service delivery programs on a university campus are discussed. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)