Psychiatry in public service: challenge of the eighties.

Contrary to popular opinion, there are now more psychiatrists in public service than ever before. Psychiatrists' contributions in this area have been masked by a decreasing growth in the total number of psychiatrists, the simultaneous expansion of other mental health disciplines, and the proliferation of mental health treatment facilities. The authors examine the reasons for the decline in the over-all growth of the profession and describe some new federal initiatives to encourage more American medical graduates to specialize in psychiatry and to work in traditionally underserved areas in the public sector.