Private Mental Hospitals: Their Future Role

Abstract

“I find it hard to believe that a modern communit)’ mental health piogram will fail to find a useful role for the private mental hospitals,’ ‘ said Dr. Jack R. Ewalt, President of the American Psychiatric Association and superintendent of the Massachusetts Mental Health Centei-, “but I find it easy to believe that a few directors and boards will insist on maintaining the status quo regarding service and policies, and will thus lead their hospitals into disaster.” He reminded his audience that a California study’ showed that few patients get out after spending two years in a state hospital, and that the hos-