Toward Removing the Barricade to Psychiatric Clinic Availability

Screening evaluation, allowing the clinic patient ready access to the psychiatrist and to treatment, proved useful at the University of Virginia Hospital mental health clinic and seemed an adequate first experience for patients. It eliminated the waiting list and became the first step in a crisis-oriented treatment program for many. For others living far from the clinic, it made realistic the use of local caregiving resources, as the psychiatrist remained available for consultation and reevaluation.