title: The long-term patient in the era of community treatment.
abstract: Post hospital follow-up studies do not encompass the total population of long-term, psychiatrically disabled patients in the community, because a large proportion (in this study, 64%) have not had a recent hospitalization, either state or local. The authors identified a population of long-term, psychiatrically disabled patients in the community, all of whom carried functional psychotic diagnoses. Long-term disabled patients generally lead inactive lives, but in California seldom return to state hospitals. One third have been hospitalized locally within the past two years-younger patients much more than older patients. Almost half use private (Medicaid) outpatient services, but one fourth receive no mental health services at all. Less than a third live in board and care homes or cheap hotels; most live in nonsegregated, noninsitutional settings. The role of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in enhancing adaptation of the chronically disabled was impressive to the research team.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012943:Social Security; D014481:United States