Cost containment: Is it unjustly cutting therapeutic mental health services? The plight of neighborhood organizations

A national emphasis on cost containment has resulted in the reduction of a host of activities at settlement houses and community centers that were formerly funded by mental health agencies. It is contended that this is penny wise and pound foolish because the neighborhood organizations provide preventive and therapeutic services. A rationale is developed to support this contention with an eleven point chart showing settlement-mental health links, a discussion of the urban condition and population disturbances, a foundation of medical and social models that support the value of settlement house activities, a review of current community mental health concepts that echo the goals of neighborhood organizations and a discussion of the roles of settlements in mental health programs.

It is concluded that strong evidence exists to support the continued funding of the preventive and therapeutic mental health activities of neighborhood organizations such as settlement houses and community centers.