| This research asks how the U.S. mental health system has changed over time, and what societal forces have contributed to change. It offers an innovative approach to the study of the American mental health system, by expanding the notion of the mental health system to include a wider array of organizations and associations, and by taking into account the cultural environment in which such organizations operate. Archival data capturing the configuration of the mental health sector and the societal forces which shape it are used in two sets of analyses. Analyses of trends in the mental health system over time highlight its complexity and expansion, while time series regression analyses indicate that economic, organizational and cultural forces all play a role in shaping the system of organizations engaged in the enterprise of mental health. These findings are discussed in light of their implications for mental health systems research, organizational behavior studies, and cultural sociology. |
