[The Coordination of service plans.]

Several American laws have been passed to co-ordinate various levels of health services. The aim is to help patients reintegrate their community, particularly for those physically and intellectually handicapped patients, people suffering from severe psychological problems and elderly who are increasingly non self-sufficient. Certain aspects of health care, such as a person's real needs, the resources within a person's community, along with consistent and adequate services, must be considered if we are to overcome the downside of both budget constraints and such a complex health service network. This article reviews the author's ten-year experience in the field of mental health in the U.S.A.