Professional Roles in Community Mental Health Practice: Generalist Versus Specialist

Abstract

Major trends in the mental health field, including the transition toward deinstitutionalization and community-based care, the increased focus on cost-effectiveness and accountability, and the rise of consumer-based health care have had significant impacts on mental health practice. With the shift to community-based mental health, multidisciplinary teams and generic interventions have become the dominant means of providing client services. This shift to generic interventions has had detrimental effects on professional identity and self-efficacy, client care, and interdisciplinary team collaboration.

KEYWORDS:

• community
• team dynamics
• responsibilities

Notes

This article not subject to U.S. copyright law.