Until fairly recently, women?s mental health and the services that address it have suffered serious neglect in the research literature. This new volume is intended to fill this information void. In Women?s Mental Health Services, authorities from around the country and from a variety of perspectives take on such key topics as empowerment, substance abuse, severe mental illness, and interpersonal violence as they relate to women. In Part I, the contributors examine service delivery organization, gender and racial service disparities, and challenges for women as mental health administrators. Part II looks at empowerment issues, severe mental illness and trauma, and at-risk populations among women.

Addressing some of the most recent research and programs in women?s mental health care, Women?s Mental Health Services provides the advanced-level student with a broad survey of the activity in this underserved area and brings busy community and mental health providers up-to-date on the work of many of their colleagues.

Bruce Lubotsky Levin is editor of the Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research and Associate Professor at the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute and College of Public Health, University of South Florida. Andrea K. Blanch is Associate Commissioner for Programs, and Ann Jennings is Director of Trauma Recovery Services, Maine Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services.

In this volume, authorities from around the United States and from a variety of perspectives analyze and discuss key topics in women's mental health, including empowerment, substance abuse, severe mental illness and interpersonal violence.

Issues examined in the first part focus on service delivery - for example, the organizational structure of service delivery, gender and racial service disparities, and challenges women face as mental health administrators. Contributors to Part Two explore special issues and populations, including women who have survived trauma such as sexual abuse, and women with mental disorders who are in prison.