AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF COMMUNITY-SERVICES FOR THE REHABILITATION OF CHRONIC PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS IN SHENYANG, CHINA

The evolution of the Zhengyang Community Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre described in this paper proves that community-based mental heal th services initiated and developed by enthusiastic and committed comm unity members can be successful in the Chinese setting. The most impor tant step is to utilise community resources to secure a stable source of income, preferably by establishing a profitable welfare enterprise that can both finance the provision of other services and provide work for mentally ill clients who cannot obtain regular employment. The ul timate goal is to reintroduce as many clients back into the community as possible, so a range of services is needed: supervision of medicati on, social skills training, occupational rehabilitation, and, most imp ortantly, work placement. The vitality of the organisation depends on its flexibility and responsiveness to the changing needs of patients; it must use its experience to guide policy decisions about the develop ment of new services and the alteration or termination of existing ser vices.