On the basis of current practice at 'Zuideroord' (mental hospital 'Vogelenzang'), this paper formulates an answer to the question whether 'traditional' aftercare is still adequate in a situation increasingly characterized by work in accordance with the concept of the psychotherapeutic community. After a brief outline of the underlying theory and basic principles of this type of therapy, and introduction of the department involved, the specific problems which confront its ex-patients upon their return to the society are discussed. Experience with traditional aftercare being disappointing, the department has started to form its own aftercare groups. The initial untoward complications attending this process (e.g. persistente of regressively coloured dependency relations with the psychotherapeutic community, often leading to re-admission) could in part be ascribed to less than optimal application of the basic principles in aftercare practice. Efforts are being made to establish more favourable conditions in a new set-up which focuses on non-professional mutual assistance-as-required, quite apart from the psychotherapeutic community. Preliminary results have been encouraging and warrant the tentative conclusion that an alternative to traditional aftercare has been found.