First published in 1999. This text examines the impasse in the development of alternatives to hospitals, drawing on the experience of both crisis service users and providers, and evidence of the effectiveness of such services. The book concludes that crisis services are preferred by users, are usually more cost effective and often more clinically effective than acute admissions wards. It offers a number of policy suggestions to advance the role of crisis services, including monitoring, evaluation and development centres, or programmes being established on a national basis, and joint training between crisis service and hospitals.