The deinstitutionalization of chronic mental health patients and the simultaneous growth of community mental health  structures were elected  as  central objectives of  interventions, based on the  concept  of  psychosocial  rehabilitation.  The  main  axes  of  this  ef fort  were  maximization  of  the individual’s potential and minimization of the long-term hospitalizations’ negative consequences. The individualized approach via the application  of an individual therapeutic program and the simultaneous evaluation of patients’ needs and course during their stay in community residential home structures of psychiatric care constitute the basic condition for the achievement of therapeutic goals of rehabilitation, guarantee of the quality of services provided and continuity of care. The article is completed with the quotation of thoughts and proposals in connection with current approaches concerning the sector of social psychiatry, which everybody has to take into careful consideration in order to do the individual therapeutic program more effective being a powerful tool that helps therapists to draw satisfaction and pleasure from their work and helps patients to become active members of a democratic society.

Key words: Ιndividual therapeutic program, psychosocial rehabilitation, reinforcement behavior method, continuity of care.

D. Papadopoulos, S. Stylianidis (page 165) - Full article (Greek)