The economic advancement of the mentally ill in the community: 1. Economic opportunities.

Consumer cooperatives have been shown to be feasible in Europe for generating adequately reimbursed jobs for the mentally ill, and may be viable in the U.S.. Such businesses can gain a market advantage by offering goods and services to mental health agencies or to the consumer group. Interviews with 50 mentally ill people living in Boulder, Colorado, identified sizable markets controlled by consumers: the average mentally ill person in the sample consumes $2,000 a month in psychiatric treatment, accommodation, food, medication and other goods and services. The findings suggest several income-generating opportunities. Consumers can be employed as mental health service providers, under certain conditions a consumer-cooperative pharmacy may be established, and some types of housing cooperative are viable.