Linkages between community mental health centers and public mental hospitals

Directors of community mental health centers and superintendents of public mental health hospitals in one state were surveyed to gather data on interagency linkages. Implementation of affiliation agreements, exchange of staff training, and exchange of patient information were investigated. Affiliation agreements tended to be implemented with little difficulty and there was more interagency cooperation than that reported in earlier research. However, exchange of training and staff were still areas of minimal interaction. Geographic proximity was found to have a positive influence and competition a negative influence on cooperation. Further attempts at interagency linkages in the interest of continuity of patient care are recommended.