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Spanish psychiatric reform: what can be learned from two decades of experience?[Note 1. This paper was read in a preliminary version at ...]
Author(s) -
VázquezBarquero José Luis,
García José,
TorresGonzález Francisco
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2001.1040s2089.x
Subject(s) - mental health , psychiatry , administration (probate law) , mental illness , psychology , mental health care , process (computing) , political science , law , computer science , operating system
Objective: The objective of the paper is to describe the impact of Spanish psychiatric reform on the organization and functioning of mental health services. Method: This paper is based on official administrative reports and on relevant related publications. Results: The most significant achievements of Spanish psychiatric reform have been: (i) the development of a new organization of mental health care, decentralized in character and territorially based; (ii) the integration of psychiatric patients in general health care; (iii) the creation of an extensive community network of health centres; and (iv) the development of more positive attitudes towards mental illness. However, our analysis also reveals the existence of significant deficiencies. Conclusion: Analysis of the Spanish experience shows that the process of psychiatric reform depends basically on long‐term commitments, which in a system such as Spain’s must come from central administration and also from the autonomous communities.