Planning for managed mental health services in Los Angeles county

The challenges related to developing a local managed mental health care system could not be greater than those confronting a large, diverse county like Los Angeles which serves a population larger than those of many states. This article highlights the planning related to negotiating with an array of stakeholders and addressing the need for significant administrative restructuring. The role of state funding, the need to expand the management information system, and the coordinating of providers are some of the challenges facing the evolving managed mental health system in Los Angeles.