The treatment of persons with mental disorders is advancing rapidly. New epidemiological information has allowed the magnitude of the task to be specified. A census of mental health professionals has allowed the workloads to be determined and organisational models which focus on treatment in the community established. As diagnosis is the first step in treatment it is timely that new, computerised structured diagnosis interviews are available. Treatment evaluation likewise is able to suggest that medication and cognitive behaviour therapy backed by good clinical care are the keys to good patient treatment. The two major problems that follow mainstreaming of the treatment of persons with mental disorders are the reallocation of money to treatment in the community, and the education of mental health staff to diagnose and deliver the proven effective treatments.