Abstract
Reductions in federal support for community mental health threaten adequate services. The difficulty may be compounded by an increase in the number of people who need care. The authors review the literature on the effect of adverse economic events on mental health. Issues and answers for managing the dilemma of increased demand and shrinking resources are identified. These answers include planning, financial diversification, and inter-agency cooperation.
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The authors thankfully acknowledge James L. Hedlund, Ph.D. for his thoughtful comments in the preparation of this manuscript. Brian Hagan, M.A. is a Senior Research Specialist in the Mental Health Systems Research Unit at the Missouri Institute of Psychiatry, 5400 Arsenal Street, St. Louis, Missouri. Bruce Forman, Ph.D. and Michael Gorodezky, Ph.D. were post-doctoral fellows at the Missouri Institute of Psychiatry at the time this manuscript was prepared. Requests for reprints should be sent to Brian Hagan at the above address.
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Hagan, B.J., Forman, B.D. & Gorodezky, M.J. The impact of economic stress on community mental health services. Administration in Mental Health 10, 104–109 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00823625
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00823625