The mental health exchange: An important function of a community Mental Health Center

A team of professional staff persons, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, public health nurses, etc., accompanied by a group of volunteer women who have been trained as mental health aides, provides county residents with counseling and information regarding mental health problems. The Mental Health Exchange offers those in the community an open house, twice a week, to discuss their interests and concerns, not only with professionals, but with mental health aides who are perceived as neighbors and friends—just people like themselves who are interested in helping others who are not registered patients. The Exchange offers a unique procedure for learning and for giving a clinical type of service to a large number of people with minimum staff.The project was supported by Public Health Service Grant MH1134-4.