The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) is responsible for supervising a comprehensive mental health and mental retardation program for citizens of the Commonwealth. The primary authority for this program is the Mental Health and Mental Retardation Act of 1966 (1966 Act). This legislation calls for a comprehensive service delivery system which provides a full array of treatment and rehabilitation services in both institutional and community settings. The 1966 Act is interpreted in conjunction with the Mental Health Procedures Act that governs voluntary and involuntary admissions to mental health treatment facilities.

The major goal of the legislation was to transfer the treatment and "habilitation" of patients to the maximum extent as possible from large, crowded and geographically isolated state mental hospitals and retardation centers into community programs. The term "habilitation" refers to the process of improving the level of functioning of individuals with mental retardation who have never attained an adequate level of basic daily living skills.

Administration

The 1966 Act requires counties acting either individually or through joinders (joint programs by more than one county) to establish Mental Health and Mental Retardation Boards and appoint County Mental Health and Mental Retardation Administrators. Counties are required to establish mental health and mental retardation programs to provide "diagnosis, care, treatment, rehabilitation and detention of the mentally disabled" through nine mandatory services:

1. Short term inpatient services other than those provided by DPP;

2. Outpatient services;

3. Partial hospitalization services;

4. Emergency services;

5. Consultation and education services to professional personnel;

6. Aftercare services for persons released from inpatient facilities;

7. Specialized rehabilative and training services, including sheltered workshops;

8. Interim care of individuals with mental retardation awaiting admission to state mental retardation centers; and

9. Unified intake, placement and referral services.

The county programs may also provide training research and other services. All services may be provided directly by the county or through contractual arrangements with other agencies.

Community services have grown dramatically with the decrease of state hospital and state center populations and continued diversion of individuals from being admitted to state facilities. Consequently, the scope of community services have also become diverse.