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Objective: The authors present an account of the current state of sectorization in France and its development over the last decade. Method: The paper is based on statistics collected by the French Health Ministry and on relevant laws and regulations. Comments by patients, families and professionals are presented. Results: The supply of mental health care is usually satisfactory, and there is a tendency for in-patient units to be converted into day hospitals. There is a large disparity between regions, especially in child and adolescent psychiatry. The 1838 law governing compulsory admissions was revised in 1990, and this revision was the object of a commission of inquiry in 1995. Psychiatric units work on the borders between health and social services and are forging new links between the two. Conclusion: Psychiatric care requires an integrated health and social perspective. In the field of mental health legislation European recommendations are called for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]