USE OF THE SOCIAL-SERVICES FOR MENTAL-HEALTH PURPOSES IN A RURAL AND AN URBAN AREA IN NORWAY

The psychiatric reforms in most Western countries require a definition of the mental health system that include agencies such as the GPs and the social services. Analysis of help seeking addressed to the social services in tao very different areas in Norway, the rural Lofoten reg ion in. Northern-Norway and an urban borough in. Oslo (Southern Norway ) show that more people say they have sought help for mental health pr oblems from social workers than from mental health professionals. HSCL -25-ratings exceed a definition of being in need of intervention for 1 8% of those having at least once contacted a social worker in Lofoten and 30% in Oslo. Seeking help from a social worker for mental health p urposes is strongly related to contacting the social services due to e conomic problems. Seeking help for economic reasons thus is a context for exposing other kinds of problems. Social workers extensive contact with people experiencing psychosocial adversities must be reflected i n their training as well as have consequences for the position of the social services within the mental health systems, and on the liaison-s ervices of community psychiatry.