The elements of community consultation.

Psychiatrists are involved in both clinical and institutional consultations. Although the tradition of psychiatric consultation for medical patients is well established and adequately described, there are few contributions concerning the conceptual framework for community consultations and few case examples. In order to provide a framework for conceptualizing consultation work this communication presents an example of a consultation to a community agency and discusses some of the specific elements in community consultation. Thus it may help professionals to practice the science and art of consultation to community agencies.