THE IMPACT OF WELFARE-REFORM AS PERCEIVED BY USERS OF MENTAL-HEALTH-SERVICES IN NEW-YORK-CITY

A total of 118 psychiatric outpatients, 43 percent of whom were foreig n born, completed a 12-item questionnaire about the impact of the new federal welfare legislation. A majority of respondents were worried ab out the new law and believed that it would worsen their mental symptom s, their well-being, and the quality of life in their neighborhood. Ne arly half felt that the law had already affected their mental symptoms . Foreign-born patients were significantly more worried about the law than U.S.-born patients. The results suggest that organized psychiatry and individual psychiatrists should become more involved in activitie s to diminish the impact of the welfare legislation on patients and th eir families.