Program evaluation--the use of scientific techniques to measure the
value of an agency's work--has become the focus of major attention and
enthusiasm in mental health service planning and administration. However,
the author points out that completed program evaluation studies are few in
number and provide no evidence of great impact on the operation of programs
or agencies and that unrealistic enthusiasm for program evaluation can lead
to unrealistic rejection when performance fails to reach promise. He
concludes that program evaluation should be applied only when it can have
an impact, i.e., in a limited number of carefully selected cases.Abstract Teaser