Community mental health for children: a shift in emphasis

Children's mental health services are facing a number of issues that prompt reexamination of some key assumptions underlying traditional ways of delivering services. On close examination, there is little support for assumptions that the worst cases are referred for help; untreated "sick" children become "sick" adults; and treatment effects generalize. A shift in paradigm to a "community mental health" model is explored. The factors determining the acceptance of this model are discussed.