Organization of preventive psychiatry programs

Primary prevention seeks to lower the rate of new cases of psychosocial disorder in a high risk population by reducing the impact of pathogenic life stressors, and by increasing psychosocial supports that enable people to master their adversity in healthy ways. The organization of such a program in Jerusalem is described. It seeks to prevent psychosocial disorders in children of divorced parents. The entire population at risk is contacted in order to reach out to the subpopulation who are unable to cope on their own, but who can be helped to master their difficulties by the coordinated efforts of community caregivers.