Public and private responsibility for mental health services. A report on the Tennessee Task Force

The "privatization" of mental health services during the last decade has literally reshaped the way state and county departments of mental health go about fulfilling their statutory responsibilities. In Tennessee, a conference and later a task force examined the implications of this trend for the future. Two issues came to the forefront: Is it appropriate or possible for the private sector to take over the delivery of all mental health services, and if so, who will ensure that the poor receive adequate care? The Tennessee task force concluded that the privatization trend is appropriate and should be encouraged by government. It further concluded that government is ultimately responsible for ensuring access to care for the poor and uninsured although private facilities should provide some free care. Government best serves the poor by providing them the financial means to purchase care from private providers.