Across the world, cities are becoming larger, as populations drift from the country into urban areas. At the same time, the mentally ill are leaving the mental hospitals and new forms of care are being found in the community. The best ways in which services for the mentally ill can be organized in the community is still a matter for debate, and as cities become larger problems may become greater., This text compares mental health services in London with those in Amsterdam, Baltimore, Bangalore, Copenhagen, Kobe, Madison, Porto Alegre, Sydney, Teheran and Verona. It describes arrangements that work in practice, and includes some of the ideas and practices in mental health services.