Objective: To measure the level of commitment by mental health care professionals within the Eastern Health Board to the concept of community mental health.
Methods: An adapted version of the Baker-Schulberg Community Mental Health Ideology Scale was administered to a random sample of professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, community psychiatric nurses, social workers and occupational therapists).
Results: Psychiatrists within this study had the lowest scores indicating the least level of commitment, and were also found to focus upon extrinsic issues, such as economic barriers, as possible obstacles to the development of a community mental health service in Ireland.
Conclusion: Policy and decision making committees need to address the balance of the mental health care professionals represented on those committees.
