is the involuntary commitment of the mentally ill morally proper? how can we determine proper psychiatric care in a managed health care system? and can a mental health professional violate patients confidentiality when they believe a patient is a threat to someone? in six non-ideological essays, leading bioethicists, including one with practical experience in medical administration, search for clear moral and legal guidelines for dealing with the complex issues presented when treating mentally ill patients. objective and readily understandable, mental illness and public health care illuminates for the educated reader some of the key ethical issues facing mental health care professionals and provides convincing practical conclusions with real moral import.