Community mental health services and the elderly: retrenchment or expansion?

Data gathered from a recent survey of CMHC's suggest that the elderly are increasing their utilization of CMHC services. As more responsibility for mental health services is shifted to the states, a commitment to mental health services for the elderly increasingly becomes an issue of state discretion, and of state finances. This makes it probable that accessibility to mental health services for the elderly will become more variable and problematic on a national basis. This is especially important in light of data that indicates an increasing awareness by CMHC's of the mental health needs of the elderly.