Results From Evaluating a Canadian Regional Mental Health Program

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of evaluating services without special research funds. The author examined mental health services in a semirural catchment area in Canada to assess how well they were reaching those in need, were helping those they did reach, were obtaining good results, and were working efficiently. The evaluation procedures included a new type of analysis of patient movement, a small community survey of alcoholism, a study of patients dropping out of treatment or seeking treatment elsewhere, and a survey of foster homes. A computer-based case register was used for part of the work, but the author states that most of the assessment procedures could be repeated elsewhere without the aid of special evaluation personnel.