Implementing evidence-based practice in mental health systems – the influence of policy instruments

Background/Objectives: The deinstitutionalisation of psychiatry in the Western world is a process characterised by ideological statements and initiatives at the policy level, where attempts to make it possible for people with psychiatric disabilities to fully participate in the society have been emphasised. In the last decades, the extent of outpatient services has increased significantly. Today, there is a focus on implementing evidence-based practice in community mental health. Governmental actors are producing research reviews and guidelines where specific methods are pointed out as successful and important t…