Abstract
For several epidemiological reasonsthe number of chronic mental patients in our communitiesis increasing. Major responsibility for thesepatients is now being shifted to out-patient forms ofcare and the significance ofrehabilitation is increasing.It is generally accepted that this form of interventionmust be both comprehensive and individuallytailored to the patient and his/her community. Thismeans that we need to develop structures capable ofintegrating these two aspects ofrecovery. We knowmuch more than we used to about the needs andexpectations ofpatients and their families: communityteams, patient clubs, crisis intervention centers,various employment outlets. More and more frequentlythe urgent question is not: what has to bedone? but: how to do it? Many new options havedeveloped in recent years. In particular, non-governmentorganizations have become increasingly moreactive. One example of this activity is "Back to theCommunity", a project which the Association forPsychiatric Rehabilitation in Białystokcarriedout in co-operation with Stichting StedenkontaktEindhoven-Białystok, a Dutch organization.