T ODAY each mental hospital and its community try to function together as a working unit. Hos pital patients are released to halfway houses, re habilitation centers, clinics, and other community agencies to help tilem make die transition from pa tient to independent citizen. Time community agency becomes deeply involved in the rehabilitation process dictated by each patient's particular needs. How much the community agency can help the former patient depends in lam-gepart on the amount of infom-mation available to it about the patient. All too often a hospital discharges a patient to an agency for the final steps in rehabilitation without supply ing any of the backgiound information the agency needs to work effectively—for instance, something about the patient's work experiences in the hospital, what his attitudes were about supervision, and how long lie was hospitalized. Unless that kind of information accompanies a client, the agency must hire psychologists, psychia crists, social workers, and other professionals to gather information that the hospital already has. Mucii needless expense aixi delay result. Exactly what information does a rehabilitation agency need? Detailed reports of the patient's social background are not essential, but the agency needs enough information to understand the patient's socioeconomic background and the kind of job goals he may have. What is his family situation? How many children has lie? What work did lie do before he was hospitalized? What is his educational back ground, and did he successfully complete any courses during his hospitalization? The patient's job history and performance while he was in the hospital are particularly important, because they offer leads for planning new training. The agency also needs a brief but meaningful sum mary of the patient's attitude. Is he cooperative, and was lie willing to take part in routine and spe cial activities while in the hospital? Was he ame miable to suI)ervisioli? Could he stamid simple frustra tiolis 011 the job? Did he get along well with staff iiicl fellow patiellts, especially in the work setting? A synopsis of the p@ttie11t'S miiedical and psychi atric difficulties should include information about I)re%@ious @)sychiatric illnesses and a current prognosis. This information should be given in simple, descrip tive phrases rather than in psychiatric shorthand tilat may not be clear to nonpsychiatrists. The hos i)ital staff should also reconimend to the agency the job ameas that migilt best be sought or avoided. Often a therapist, social worker, nurse, or other hospital worker has special information or insight that can greatly facilitate the work of rehabilitation. Frequently community agencies need additional help and do not know whom to contact at the hos pita!. The hospital should assign a staff member to act as liaison between the agency and the hospital. This person should be available at all times to give any psychological, social, or medical information or other assistance the agency may require. Those are but a few suggestions about the data and working relationships that make the hospital and the rehabilitation center more effective in help ing patients. Sometimes more extensive information will be needed. No matter what the arrangement, no patient should merely be sent from a hospital to a community agency until everything possible has been done to enable time agency to complete the task of rehabilitation. As Mahoney said: “? If we expect community resources and agencies to become responsible partners in helping the emo tionally disturbed, we must act in a manner con sistent with this expectation in our report writing as in our other activities. Unless we do so, we only contribute to tlleir rejection of this cooperative role.―1