A profile of community mental health center psychiatrists: results of a national survey.

A national survey of community mental health center psychiatrists was designed to assess the extent to which they experience professional burnout. 214 psychiatrists responded to the survey. The largest single group of respondents (23.4%) was attracted to community mental health primarily by normative values (e.g., "serving the indigent"). The critical variable which has or would cause most of the respondents to leave their community mental health center is conflict over the psychiatrist's role and/or value. Despite problems encountered by many, 78.5% of respondents expressed a greater than 50% overall satisfaction in their work at Community Mental Health Centers. 34.1% of respondents have practiced in a community mental health center for more than 10 years. 31.7% of respondents spend half-time or less of their working time in a community mental health center, raising questions about possible limitations in psychiatrist roles. Thirty-one of respondents spend more than three quarters of their community mental health center time evaluating and treating patients, raising questions as to whether community mental health center psychiatrists are utilized in oversight roles appropriate to their levels of expertise.