The last ten years of political and societal changes in Kosovo, part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, have influenced the organization and quality of the local health care system. The current situation in mental health is characterized by insufficiency of provided care, medical staff and a low number of hospital beds. Despite the fact that mental health services are based on a biological model with little tradition of psychosocial treatment or community care and support, WHO advisers recommend that the future mental health services shored be focused on a community based approach.

        Key words: psychiatry, community-based mental health centre (CMHC).