The Mental Health Matrix

Book excerpt: There have been major changes to mental health services internationally in recent years revolving around the concept of care in the community. Although speed of change and precise service mechanisms differ among countries, there is nevertheless an increasingly widespread consensus on key components essential to adequate care provision. This in turn provides an opportunity to develop a widely acceptable model framework to direct future developments. This book proposes a simple model that can be used as a guide to increased clinical effectiveness through focused evidence-based reform. Using a time/space framework, it is intended to act as a practical aid to diagnosis of strengths and weaknesses in services that will be used by care providers, trainees, and planners.