Abstract
During the New York City school strike of 1968, staff members of a community mental health center, along with members of a local community group, helped plan and execute a Forum* in school-community relations intended to channel existing conflicts toward the long-term benefit of the community the center serves. The significance of this report stems from several factors that are not typical of applied behavioral science interventions.
First, entry took place at the height of a community conflict situation, in the face of warnings from various parties to the conflict that the most constructive course was to do nothing.
Second, the relationship between a community mental health center and its catchment area differs in important respects from that involved in either the external or internal change-agent models, and thus limits action alternatives in such a crisis.
Third, turnout at the Forum was strikingly high and quite representative of the community population.
Fourth, the design of the Forum itself is of interest, since it altered successfully some of the chaotic aspects of the typical public meeting.
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