The 124,769 Cubans who entered the United States from Cuba in a boatlift in 1980 included a small minority of people who needed mental health care. Some had been taken involuntarily from psychiatric hospitals, mental retardation facilities, jails, and prisons. The National Institute of Mental Health, Public Health Service (PHS), was responsible for mental health screening, evaluation, and treatment of the Cuban Entrants. Bilingual psychiatrists and psychologists found that many Entrants given preliminary evaluations showed evidence of transient situational stress reactions, not psychiatric illnesses. Entrants who had not yet been sponsored were consolidated into one facility in October 1980, and about 100 of those with severe problems were transferred to an Immigration and Naturalization Service-PHS evaluation facility in Washington, DC. Between March 1, 1981, and March 1, 1982, a total of 3,035 Entrants were evaluated at both facilities. Among the 1,307 persons who presented symptoms, there was a primary diagnosis of personality disorders for 26 percent, schizophrenic disorders for 15 percent, adjustment disorders for 14.5 percent, mental retardation for 8.6 percent, chronic alcohol abuse for 8.6 percent, and major depression for 7.2 percent. Only 459 Cubans with symptoms were found to be in need of further psychiatric care. As of October 1984, many Entrants with psychiatric illnesses remained under inpatient or community-based halfway house psychiatric care as a direct Federal responsibility. A PHS program for further placement in community-based facilities is underway.

Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The 1990 objectives for the nation for control of stress and violent behavior: progress report.

The control of stress and violent behavior is 1 of the 15 priority areas addressed in the Public Health Service's Objectives for the Nation. The National Institute of Mental Health, which provides a national focus for the Federal effort to increase knowledge of, and promote effective strategies dealing with, issues associated with mental illness and mental health, has been designated the lead Federal agency in this priority area. The authors summarize progress achieved and further activities planned with respect to 10 objectives for control of stress and violent behavior that have been selected for Federal implementation. The objectives for control of stress include improved public and professional awareness of community agencies that can provide professional services, hotlines, and mutual support groups. The objectives for control of violent behavior address three major problems: deaths from homicide among young black males, suicide among the young, and child abuse. Achievement of several of the objectives is currently impeded by lack of a valid data base. Efforts have been initiated, both by individual agencies and through collaboration among the various participating Public Health Service components, to develop valid and reliable baseline data and surveillance procedures.

Adolescent↗