title: The value of hospital-based treatment for the homeless mentally ill.
abstract: The access of the homeless mentally ill to the benefits of psychiatric hospitalization has been excessively limited by deinstitutionalization, the devaluation of the benefits of inpatient evaluation and treatment, a shortage of public-sector psychiatric beds, and a tendency to regard the homeless mentally ill as untreatable. A pilot program was devised to increase the access of the homeless mentally ill to short-term hospital-based treatment within a public mental health system in which beds are in short supply. The program's usefulness demonstrates the value of hospital-based treatment for this population and suggests that hospital-based treatment is currently underutilized.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, Boston.
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Gudeman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare; D001900:Boston; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010865:Pilot Projects