Involving community representatives in CMHC evaluation and research.
The participation of community representatives and consumers of services in agency planning has been mandated by legislation and the subsequent regulations. However, the representatives' lack of technical knowledge and sophistication frequently makes them unequal participants in the decision-making process. To help increase such sophistication, the program analysis and evaluation section of a large community mental health center has involved or assisted patient and community volunteers in various evaluation and research projects; they include a survey of area housing conditions, a survey of the needs of former inpatients, an evaluation of programs operated by a coalition of community groups, and a community resource listing.
D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003256:Community Participation; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D009519:New York City