1. Introduction: who needs community-based care?

2. Community management of mental disorders: integrating patients, carers and primary health care with specialist mental health services

3. Effective therapeutic strategies

4. Early detection of major mental disorders

5. Problem-based assessment of functioning

6. Crisis intervention and intensive care for acute episodes: creating an asylum at home

7. Prevention of recurrent disorders

8. Integrated clinical management of the long-term disabled

9. Assessment of benefits and costs of the service to the community

10. Conclusions and future directions.