This study was initiated in response to the 1977 report of the president’s commission on mental health. The purpose was to collect data on the prevalence and incidence of mental disorders and on the use of, and need for, services by the mentally ill. Research teams at five universities (yale university, johns hopkins university, washington university, duke university, and the university of california at los angeles), in collaboration with the national institute of mental health (nimh), conducted the studies with a core of common questions and sample characteristics. All data were collected between 1980 and 1985.