Black services in community mental health centers: a need for technical assistance

The experiences of two black mental health professionals, who were invited to provide technical assistance to improve services to blacks in three community mental health centers in South Carolina, are described. This was a new and unprecedented attempt to elucidate and correct the problems of inadequate mental health services for blacks, while improving compliance with affirmative action. Camouflaged in elite professionalism were subtle hostile feelings and negative beliefs about blacks.