Treatment Setting and Clinical Depression

THE past half century has witnessed a marked expansion of mental health facilities in most countries of the world. These trends have been particularly evident in the United States, crystallizing in the current community mental health movement. Both quantitative and qualitative changes are under way in the patterns of mental health facilities. Quantitatively, more clinics and inpatient units have opened and there are increased numbers of psychiatrists and other mental health professionals. Qualitatively, there have been significant shifts in the patterns of mental health care. New types of treatment facilities have been created, ie, day hospitals, family treatment clinics, community mental health centers, and emergency units. These new developments have had, as a major goal, the creation of community alternatives to the large mental hospitals which prior to the turn of the century were the major facilities for the treatment of the mentally ill. For