ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses consultation on “survival mode innovation” in public mental health, and the contributions to such an approach that have been made by the pioneering work of Gerald Caplan. Organizational consultation to public mental health agencies using the concepts of “survival mode innovation” draws heavily on concepts and techniques first developed by Caplan. In fact, organizational consultation on innovation and change to public mental health agencies, using a Caplanian model, can be one essential component in the effort to help these agencies survive and remain effective in the current hostile, crisis-strewn environment. The primary goal of organizational consultation is the development of an action plan, usually in the form of a written report, that can be implemented by the organization to resolve the identified problem. Some Caplanian concepts have been adopted widely in consultation to mental health organizations, particularly as a result of the increasing application of organization development consultation in public agencies.
