Mental Health Policy and Practice Today

Mental Health Policy and Practice Today is the only textbook available in recent years that reflects the dynamic nature of mental health practice in todays rapidly changing society. This book begins with an overview of societal and cost issues related to mental health problems, including the formats now used for mental health delivery and the public planning and agencies involved. It then focuses on the expanding base of knowledge in mental health. Important areas of neuroscientific and social research are covered, along with the significant contributions of pychoeducation and self-help and advocacy groups. Ten groups are specifically discussed including the homeless, whose numbers have risen to crisis proportions in recent years in part due to their mass expulsion from institutional care. It then guides the reader through implications for the 21st century, including the influences of technology and funding shifts to managed care. Finally it concludes with an exploration of issues that will need to be resolved based on the analysis of current policy, practice, and future projections. Readers will appreciate the multiple perspectives of this book and the blending of contributors expertise in both research and service "in the trenches." The broad spectrum of topics covered makes this book not only an effective text for traditional and specialized courses in the mental health professions, but also an informative and stimulating resource for the current practitioner. It is an essential, timely book that illustrates that policy and practice in the mental health fields must be reconciled.