However it may happen, change is certain to occur; mental health care will be reformed in the near future. 2. The Coalition of Psychiatric Nursing Organizations developed an 85-page position paper on essential services. One topic dealt with is "barriers to care," which include public attitudes, fragmented systems, poverty and race, private insurance, and public funding. 3. As a result of increasingly sophisticated and assertive lobbying efforts, nurses have been more involved in the political scene. Ira Magaziner, project director for the Health Care Reform Task Force, addressed 100 nurses recently. 4. For psychosocial nurses, "the future is now." There is a window of opportunity at this time, and nurses must agree on what is wanted and work together to take advantage of that window.
