Indicators of Mental Health Needs: An Empirical and Pragmatic Evaluation.

A correlation analysis was used to assess the similarity between mental health need priority systems set up under the Community Mental Health Centers Act, and priority systems developed using a simplified scheme of mental health indicators. Data came from Community Mental Health Centers State Plans for six Southern states. Results indicated that the simplified. scheme provides adequate replication of the priority systems. Hence, time and effort need not be expended on elaborate schemes for developing priority systems (or sets of mental health indicators for research) unless it can be demonstrated that they have superior validity. A second implication developed from the data concludes that sets of techniques, like other procedural systems may, if not evaluated, tend to be perpetuated when in fact they should be replaced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]