Abstract
Sri Lanka is preparing to introduce new mental health laws incorporating aspects of community care amidst global acceptance of Community Psychiatry as the ideal model of service delivery in mental health. However, this model needs to be reviewed not only because of the high financial and human resources it requires but also in light of recent reports that it has not yielded expected results in some developing countries. A more practical framework, incorporating the many specific factors of the milieu in which it operates, is advocated especially for a country such as Sri Lanka with its distinctive advantages and limitations. DOI: 10.4038/sljpsyc.v1i2.2568 SL J Psychiatry 2010; 1 (2):27-28
Highlights
The parameters of service delivery in mental health are subject to constant review and change
There appears to be a consensus that there is a need for ‘Community Psychiatry’, indicating a preference for a shift from hospital based care [1, 2]
The concept of formalized ‘Community Psychiatry’ originated not because of evidence that it was a superior method of treatment but due to a social need to destigmatise the mentally ill and offer them a humane form of care[3]
Summary
The parameters of service delivery in mental health are subject to constant review and change. This is more so in the current Sri Lankan setting as the country gears itself to provide care under a new Mental Health Act. In this context, there appears to be a consensus that there is a need for ‘Community Psychiatry’, indicating a preference for a shift from hospital based care [1, 2].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
