Community mental health care in Botswana: approaches and opportunities.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this article is to provide an insight into the developmental trends in community mental health care in Botswana. Different approaches are discussed and the opportunities that have emanated from them.


BACKGROUND
Care of the mentally ill in Botswana is provided at different levels of coverage and sophistication. There is a single mental hospital in the country. Attached to the district hospitals are psychiatric outpatient clinics run by psychiatric nurses and a psychiatrist who visits them on monthly basis. Mental health care in Botswana has gone through a paradigm shift, from the prepenal years, penal years and institutional to community based care, which reflects a philosophy of citizen involvement and collaboration.


CONCLUSIONS
Several approaches have been utilized in the development of community mental health care. However, difficulties and challenges still exist in the provision of community mental health care.
Seloilwe
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Department Nursing Education, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana. seloilwe@mopipi.ub.bw
Thupayagale-Tshweneagae
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D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D001902:Botswana; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003256:Community Participation; D003158:Community Psychiatry / Q000458:organization & administration; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003688:Deinstitutionalization; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006291:Health Policy; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010358:Patient Participation; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D016730:Program Development; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D012945:Social Values