APA Tool to Assess Community MH Needs Should Have Widespread Adoption

I was delighted to read about the report of the APA Presidential Task Force on Assessment of Psychiatric Bed Needs in the United States, appointed by then President Jeffrey Geller, M.D., M.P.H. (“Task Force on Psychiatric Beds Produces Model for Determining Need in Any Community”).

As president of the New Jersey Psychiatric Association for the 2002-2003 term, I appointed a task force and, assisted by a number of colleagues, wrote a report on mental health needs and services in New Jersey, which was presented to the state legislature in May 2004. I discovered during that time that not only did the state have no way of making such an assessment, but also I could not even get a straight answer on how many state-supported psychiatric beds existed at the time—never mind other community resources. Sadly, little has changed.

Clearly, a tool to assess mental health resources and needs of any community on a continuous basis is essential to the task of creating and assigning them where they are needed. I encourage all district branches to prioritize advocating for their states to adopt such a tool and in the meantime urge community mental health organizations to participate in its testing. ■

NANCY T. BLOCK, M.D.

Berkeley Heights, N.J.