Bridging community intervention and mental health services research.
OBJECTIVE
This article explores the potential of community intervention perspectives for increasing the relevance, reach, and public health impact of mental health services research.


METHODS
The authors reviewed community intervention strategies, including public health and community development and empowerment interventions, and contrast community intervention with practice-based quality improvement and policy research.


RESULTS
A model was proposed to integrate health services and community intervention research, building on the evidence-based strength of quality improvement and participatory methods of community intervention to produce complementary functions, such as linking community-based case finding and referral with practice-based quality improvement, enhanced by community-based social support for treatment adherence.


CONCLUSIONS
The community intervention approach is a major paradigm for affecting public health or addressing health disparities. Despite challenges in implementation and evaluation, it represents a promising approach for extending the reach of mental health services interventions into diverse communities.
Wells
Kenneth
K
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA. kwells@ucla.edu
Miranda
Jeanne
J
Bruce
Martha L
ML
Alegria
Margarita
M
Wallerstein
Nina
N
D018672:Community Health Planning / Q000379:methods; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*; D015980:Public Health Practice; D011787:Quality of Health Care