Mental Health Services: A Public Health Perspective

Increasingly, a public health framework is needed to develop and advance mental health systems both nationally and locally. This uniquely multidisciplinary work integrates knowledge derived from research in epidemiology, treatment methods, service systems, and public policy to delineate such a framework. The second edition has been expanded to give readers a more comprehensive understanding of the organization, financing and delivery of mental health and substance abuse services. Several new chapters deal with state mental health systems, recovery as a guiding principle in the design of systems, the evolution of mental health informatics, the importance of psychopharmacology, and the specific needs and challenges of special populations, such as individuals with co-occurring mental and addictive disorders and those in the criminal justice system who have mental disorders. The rest of the book has been thoroughly updated, including the series of chapters on the epidemiologic, treatment, and service delivery issues among various at-risk populations: children and adolescents, adults, older adults, and substance abusers. Written by national experts, this timely work will provide policymakers, administrators, clinicians, and graduate students with the knowledge base needed to manage and transform mental health service delivery systems.