About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

286 Annals Am. Acad. Pol. & Soc. Sci. vii (1953)

handle is hein.cow/anamacp0286 and id is 1 raw text is: FOREWORD FOR a number of years, the care and treatment of the mentally ill in the United States has been a responsibility assumed in large part by the community through its public agencies. The devastating effects of many mental illnesses on the individ- ual human personality, the tragedy and waste associated with them, and the social responsibility for providing competent service to patients during the course of these illnesses are the compelling realities which form the roots of mental health as a goal of community endeavor. Furthermore, it has become quite apparent that mental health problems are not bounded by the walls of hospitals or seen only in those who become the psy- chiatrist's patients. Significant evidences of distressed, self-defeated, negative lives are apparent in many other community contexts. What has been learned through the study and treatment of patients has also contributed to an understanding of the basic nature of such problems. Indeed, the clearer perception of human nature itself made possible through research and clinical study is evident throughout the fields of human service- inedicine and public health, education, social welfare, the church, the correctional system, and recreational services, for example. It is also manifest in other aspects of our culture, in the arts and literature, the mass media of communication, ideas about child rearing, and everyday conversation. This issue, entitled Mental Health in the United States, was organized to accent the implications, in terms of health, of the various mental health problems and to discuss the resources which exist in our society for the specific purpose of providing mental health services. In selecting the health-illness aspects for major attention in this issue, other approaches to this field could not be included. Within the broad scope of this approach, each contributing authority has a large area of subject matter to discuss in a limited space. It has not been possible, therefore, to cover adequately all aspects of the mental health problem. There are two noteworthy omissions. An article on the topic Mental Health Problems Affecting Body Function was planned for the second section; its absence leaves this section incomplete. The programs of professional organizations and of professional education and research are not systematically discussed here, although it is obvious that these endeavors, through the development of knowledge and professional leadership and competency, are the lifeline of effective mental health services. It is hoped that this issue will provide some perspective on the wide range of mental health problems and some sense of their significance for human health. These are problems for which each citizen carries his share of a large social responsibility. They offer challenges and opportunities to develop fresh under- standing of and new approaches to old dilemmas that have long confronted us as individuals and as members of the community. ROBERT H. DYSINGER vii

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most