Introduction

Abstract

The social clinic employs the disciplines of social work, counseling, clinical psychology, community psychology and community psychiatry, community nursing, and others. Its programs of psychotherapy and personal support usually attend to mental and emotional disorders but also adjustment problems, criminal rehabilitation, motivation, and to a much lesser degree social support. It typically functions as free-standing agencies and solo practices but also within prisons, reformatories, courts, mental hospitals, churches, universities, the military, police forces, public and private schools, community centers, and others. The social clinic has also seeped into unexpected areas of American life—organized religion, the workplace and even professional and amateur sports organizations that employ clinical techniques to motivate their athletes. Services are funded through a variety of public programs and private insurance as well as cash.