Abstract
Community mental health services need professionals who function in accordance with principles which differ from those traditionally accepted in the field of mental health. Issues connected to the training of professional social workers for community mental health are discussed. The paper focuses on problems of training programmes in Israel, a country which is attempting to reorganize its mental health services according to the community mental health approach. The paper attempts to clarify new needs which have arisen and the new roles which social workers are meant to fill. It points out professional and environmental factors which hinder the activation of training programmes for community mental health. The professionals' fear of criticism, their search for high status and for larger financial rewards, and the effects of indifferent and even hostile environment on the possibility of initiating appropriate training programmes are discussed. The need for to reverse the above impediments and the incentives necessary for the development of professional training programmes which will provide the knowledge and skills required by the community mental health approach are emphasised.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 253-267 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Israel Annals of Psychiatry and Related Disciplines |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 3 |
State | Published - 1977 |
Externally published | Yes |