The reality of the management of mental health services in Latin America, reflexions from the perspective of a vision of strategic planning.

The history of mental health services in Latin America, has been influenced by public policies derived from governments in turn, in each one of the countries of the region. As much in the definition of these public policies, as in the resource allocation, the rule has been inconsistency and indifference. The few results have been dependent on the decision of one or just a few people who were able to make decisions in local and regional Latin American governments. A brief analysis regarding the role and transformation of psychiatric hospitals can be found in this article, also of the workers attitudes and ideology, as well as the importance of developing better mental health professionals with knowledge of public administration and particularly in well-known strategies such as strategic planning.