The Summing Up

to provide consultative service relative to the organization and operation of governmental services in the mental health field. We propose further to make arrangements with the mental health organizations in the states and with the professional organizations and agencies concerned to provide technical and professional service on a consultative basis to any state interested in developing, expanding and perfecting its mental health practices. For those purposes agreements can be developed by the various states and the technical and professional organizations for the use of some of their personnel from time to time on a short term basis.” Frank Bane, Executive Director, Council of State Governments. “The American Psychiatric Association stands ready to render greater service to the various states by providing consulting teams who would visit in the state at the request of the Governor to study their problems and recommend to him the type of state organization of mental health that might better serve his needs as well as give advice on some methods of operation. Many times an incoming Governor in a state, with the very best intentions . . . may take unwise steps because of not having sufficiently broad counsel and advice on the most progressive or far reaching methods of furthering the mental health program of his state.” Dr. Kenneth E. Appel, President, American Psychiatric Association. “The trend toward interstate compacts, agreements, and operating practices has been one of the very gratifying developments of the last quarter century or more. A notable field in which this could be developed further is that of training and research. A small and sparsely settled state can hardly be expected to set up all of the facilities which a large and populous one can. Furthermore, it is quite likely that some small state might have some practices and facilities which would be uniquely worthy of emulation in a neighboring large state. It is for this reason that the Governors’ Conference only last year directed the Council to organize effective programs of interstate cooperation for the punpose of promoting mental health. It proposes, therefore, to establish immediately an interstate clearinghouse for the dissemination of information to all the states in the realms of treatment, care and prevention; to make arangements with the various states and wi th professional organizations and agencies to provide technical and professional service on a consultation basis to any state interested in developing its mental health practices and procedures. It may be pointed out in this connection that there are already existing agencies, notably the Amencan Psychiatric Association, which, through its Central Inspection Board and its Mental Hospital Service, has devoted much thought, energy, and money toward the roblems of gathering and disseminating information. The services of these organizations will be available to such a clearinghouse and it is certainly to be hoped that the existence of these private organizations may be expanded rather than hampered by the work of the proposed organization. Here, as in the field of research, cooperation rather than competition should be the watchword. ‘ ‘ Dr. Winfred Overhoiser, Superintendent, St. Elizabeths Hospital, Washington, D. C. “Regarding VA and State hospitals, cooperation must be more than an appealing word. Since mental hospitals and clinics are for the most part public agencies, there is unique opportunity here for cooperation. It is, of course, necessary that each governmental unit retain its integrity, its autonomy, and its right to shape itself to meet its particular mission. When we speak of cooperation here we do not, therefore, mean any organic integration. We do mean a pooling of professional resources, if this is advantageous to both, and a willingness on the part of each to perform such professional activities on behalf of the other as it can reasonably be asked to do.” Dr. Harvey J Tompkins, Director, Psychiatry & Neurology Service, Veterans Administration. 10. State and community mental health organizations should play important roles in educating the public to the problems of mental health and to time methods of improving psychiatric services. The states should encourage and support mental health education in the schools, good relationships between hospitals and their surrounding communities, and the provision of adequate community psychiatric services. These may, in time long run, be most important in deterinining the mental health of the nation. “Mental illness is everybody’s interest-but it is always a secondary one. The mayors are interested in city needs; the rural authorities in road building; the teachers in education. The mentally ill have no adequate voice. Legislators and politicians must make up their minds whether they will buy political security by giving funds to those who have votes or risk it by taking care of those who cannot speak for themselves. This takes courage, not only on the part of the politicians but on the part of everyone. We must eliminate the state line as a barrier against the recovery of mental patients. Four groups must cooperate-the medical researchers, the medical educators, the mental health service amid the state governments. We must all work together to come up with a coordinated program. Unless we have a program that we can all agree upon, we have nothiiig. At this meeting we must coordinate our concrete proposals and mobilize a mental alliance against mental illness.” Governor Frank G. Clement, Tennessee. “Mental health does require the mitiative an(l encouraging efforts of government service. . . . The combination of enterprise1 public and private, state and local, is the only sure way to advance. I can assure you it immediately requires only one thing of you-to start. ‘ ‘ Senator James I. McBride, California.

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