The small group: Core of the community mental health center.

Small group theory and the application of a variety of therapeutic group techniques are essential components to the planning and operation of a comprehensive community mental health center. Particularly relevant is the small group's potential for studying and facilitating those aspects of individual and group behavior that pertain to mental health. The group gives the clinician access to pertinent aspects of the patient's social milieu in a way that can he integrated with a view of the individual's functioning within the social system. These characteristics of small groups may be utilized in assisting a community mental health program to provide services, training, research and to participate in the overall development of the community.