Problems and Goals of Psychiatric Care in the U.S.A. and their Importance forCzech Psychiatry

Summary

Greatest obstacles in the care of mental health in the U.S.A. are considered to be:
1) Fragmentationand gaps in the care of children with severe emotional disturbance, 2) Fragmentation and gaps inthe care of adult patients, suffering from severe emotional disturbance, 3) high unemployment andthe degree of work incapacity among adults suffering from severe mental disorders, 4) the fact thatolder patients with mental disorders are not treated, 5) mental health and prevention of suicide donot belong to national priorities. The committee considers the main goals to include: 1) the publicunderstanding that mental health is a basic part of general health, 2) care of mental health shouldbe family- and customer-oriented, 3) the unequal care of mental health should be eliminated, 4) earlyscreening and evaluation should be extended into general practice, 5) research should be acceleratedand fi rst-class health care should be delivered, 6) new technologies should be employed in the accessto medical care and information. These observations are based on research whose effi ciency has beenproved in practice. Studies of similar kind are rare in the Czech Republic. Moreover, in view of thesystem deformed by poorly paid physicians, nurses, psychologists and social workers, hospitalizationis preferred against community forms of treatment, giving results which may cause worse care andconsequent damage to the patients.

Key words:
New Freedom Commission, delivery of health care, institutionalization, integrated care.