The Eastern Baltimore Mental Health Survey was carried out as part of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area programme of the National Institute of Mental Health. The utilization data concern visits to ambulatory health services in the six months prior to interview by all members of the survey sample ‘to get help for problems with emotions, nerves, drugs, alcohol or their mental health’, and how these visits are divided between the general medical and specialty mental health agencies. Of all adults 58.4 per cent made a general health or mental health visit during the six months prior to the interview. Only 7 per cent of all adults made an out-patient visit related to a mental health problem. Of particular interest are the differences in the rate of out-patient mental health visits to general medical agencies made by members of the different demographic categories.