State mental hospitals and the future.

There seems to be a general acceptance of the idea that at some future date mental hospitals will disappear to be replaced by community mental health services of various kinds. The author points out that remarkably little interest is focused on the possibility of a new model of residential care to replace the outmoded hospital. Some form of residential mental health care will probably always be needed, and should be complementary to the developing nonresidential services. A strategy for revitalizing mental hospitals is outlined.