Gerald Caplan, then and now: public mental health applications to the current psychological challenges of the pandemic

Mental health providers are struggling to meet the "surge on surge" pandemic demands for services, especially for the pediatric population. Mental health reactions to the pandemic range from adjustment reactions to its impact on the individual, or his or her social network, to exacerbation of pre-existing psychological problems. An overall strategy for managing and preventing mental health problems from developing is lacking. Five decades ago, psychiatrist Gerald Caplan proposed a public health preventive model for mental disorders, applied at the population level. Although shunned by mainstream psychiatry, his ideas were embraced by schools, organizations and communities. In addition to addressing the issue of access, Caplan showed how community approaches challenge the traditional paradigm of individual clinic and office delivery of psychological services.