Alternatives to mental patient rehospitalization.

The high rate of return to the mental hospital constitutes a major public health problem for which our present posthospital services seem inadequate. This research indicates most ex-state mental hospital patients occupy family role positions which are not central and decisive, and have a high degree of financial and social dependency. Given these facts, what would be needed to prevent their return to a state mental hospital? A new system of meeting the social needs of ex-patients must be developed. Suggestions made imply a radical change in professional services-both in kind and degree. In short, the ex-patient seems to require more than "out-patient" services.