Discusses need for systems-based approach to quality assurance in mental health services, which can provide useful information to administrators and practitioners as they work to maintain or improve quality of care provided to patients. Introduces generic model for monitoring and evaluating quality of care and discusses potential barriers to its…

Examines how community mental health practitioners are likely to implement services for improving community-based care of the chronically mentally disabled. Describes a scale for administrators to assess practitioner orientations and thereby anticipate compliance problems. Suggests ways administrators may alleviate these problems. (Author)

Asserts that mental health planning has been limited by conceptual and logistical restraints, causing planning to be isolated from management and ineffectual in describing total system of services required by persons experiencing severe mental illness. Describes application of new ideas and information technologies which can yield enhanced…