The Future of the Public Mental Hospital
LUCY D. OZARIN M.D.1, and
ALAN I. LEVENSON M.D.2
1 Program development officer, division of mental health service programs, National Institute of Mental Health, 5454 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. 20015
2 Division director, division of mental health service programs, National Institute of Mental Health, 5454 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, Md. 20015
What will be the future of public mental hospitals as community mental health center programs expand? The authors suggest that their emerging role lies in joining the community's network of human services by adapting present organizational structures to permit flexibility and change. Mental hospital staffs can provide leadership and support to local, regional, and state mental health programs if they incorporate current scientific, technological, and social changes in their operations.
