Brown versus New York: the Rashomon of delivering mental health services in the 1990s

This article examines a case study of one homeless mentally ill woman in New York City to show the differing perspectives on mental illness among mental health consumers, family members, mental health professionals, and advocates. Different issues emerge, and different priorities for care become clear. The social worker as case manager must design intervention strategies based on these differing perspectives, a crucial challenge for the profession. This article reviews the current literature on case management and suggests a holistic approach that better meets the needs of mentally ill people, their family members, and the community.