[The chronic mentally ill in a community mental health centre.]

The author discusses some findings of a study done at the Centre de Santé Mentale which sought to comparatively evaluate the impact on the chronic mental patient, of a community and a psychiatric hospital approach. After explaining the guiding philosophy of the Centre as well as its interventive programs, the author briefly describes the research methodology before undertaking a move thorough discussion of certain results. She notes (initially) that the Katz Social adaptation score of the Centre's chronic patients increased during the 22 months study to equal that of the hospital patients. Nonetheless, the Centre patients exhibited a more marked socialization, a higher satisfaction level with freetime activities, and, at the same time, had more of these activities than the hospital patients. The author raises the questions of possible further progress of the Centre patient and whether the observed changes result from Centre services. ,The ensuing discussion qS symptoms points to a greater symptom level in Centre subjects as well as a higher "sick" self-perception. In addition, a divergence is evident between the key informant's symptom perception and that of the Centre patient, a divergence which underlines the problem of the environment's perception of the mentally ill and the possibilities of their réintégration. Finally the author proposes a program accentuating the Centre approach, particularly those aspects which mobilise and utilise community resources.