Psych Services Takes Global Outlook

While five papers on African mental health care highlighted the March issue of Psychiatric Services, the issue was also noteworthy for several other reasons.

Psychiatric Services was founded in 1950 to promote the exchange of information among American mental health professionals. It started out as a modest eight-page newsletter for American mental hospital administrators. Yet its focus has become increasingly international over the years, and the March issue exemplified that global outlook.

“During my years as editor of the journal, I was impressed by the number of submissions from other countries and especially at how the number grew over the years,” John Talbott, M.D., editor emeritus of Psychiatric Services, commented in the March issue. In fact, “it has evolved into a global resource for all who work everywhere to improve the treatment and the lives of people with severe mental illness.”

Howard Goldman, M.D., Ph.D., current editor of Psychiatric Services, told Psychiatric News, “Although the five papers about Africa were the most unusual aspect of this issue, being able to include papers from Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East as well was really precedent setting.”

Connie Gartner, M.S.W., managing editor of Psychiatric Services, added, “The titles listed in the table of contents should make it clear that the interests of mental health services researchers are remarkably similar the world over: how to deliver effective care in an equitable manner when resources are limited and the need is great.”

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