Whose Patient Is This Anyway? Policy and Planning Issues in the Community Care of the Chronic Psychiatric Patient.

Abstract

Strategy and policy issues in the public sector, nonprofit organization are highlighted in the case of mental health service delivery. Problems created by the policy of deinstitutionalization are explored. Difficulty in clearly delineating the nature and needs of the chronic psychiatric patient, and determining what service is most appropriate, to be delivered by whom, in what milieu and how frequently, demonstrates the constraints on strategic formulation and planning prior to policy implementation. The following paper is a review and analysis of these strategic issues - the who, what, where, when and how - of the community care of the chronic psychiatric patient. Implications for future strategic planning, policy and research in mental health are proposed.