Mental Health Service Evaluation

A comprehensive international review providing guidance in appropriate research strategies for evaluation of mental health services.

Redressing the lack of guidance in this area, this book describes how to do mental health service research. It provides a review of developments in research design, method and measurement each illustrated by practical descriptions from comprehensive evaluation projects.With the international consensus towards community care of the mentally ill, there came a growing need for meaningful evaluation of services. Redressing the lack of guidance this book describes how to do mental health service research. It comprehensively reviews developments in research design, method and measurement at the level of both whole service systems and individual programmes within mental health services. Each of the issues is adeptly illustrated with practical descriptions of comprehensive evaluation projects. The important advances already achieved in knowledge about effective services are highlighted along with descriptions of future work that will further develop our understanding of meeting patient requirements. This volume will appeal to all who are involved in mental health service research as well as those who make use of their results.