Citizen participation in the governance of community mental health centers
- 1 March 1981
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Nature in Community Mental Health Journal
- Vol. 17 (1) , 19-36
- https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00754206
Abstract
The article reviews theory undergirding citizen participation in governance and presents several models of governance. A mail survey of 220 community mental health centers revealed that most centers did not meet the participant requirements of Public Law 94-63 for broad representation of the catchment area in governance or the functional requirements for decision-making, nor did boards incorporate other typical approaches to participation. This breakdown in implementation of the law can be interpreted as a twofold problem of organizational adaptation and power redistribution. Policy solutions would need to take both these causes into account. Incremental strategies alone are unlikely to create sufficient impact. Organizational development focused on building new models of governance and direct efforts to mobilize and empower citizens are suggested.Keywords
This publication has 7 references indexed in Scilit:
- Comparative Analysis of Community Health Planning: Transition from Chps to HsasJournal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 1976
- PR aside: Initial results from NIMH's service program evaluation studiesAmerican Journal of Community Psychology, 1974
- Governing boards in mental health: Roles and training needsAdministration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 1974
- The paraprofessional and the use of confrontation in the mental health field.Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery, 1969
- The Concept of RepresentationPublished by University of California Press ,1967
- The Science of "Muddling Through"Public Administration Review, 1959
- Suggestions for a Sociological Approach to the Theory of Organizations.IAdministrative Science Quarterly, 1956