Integrated services for chronic mental patients: theoretical perspective and experimental results.
The theoretical basis of an integrated service approach to the care of chronic mental patients is discussed. An experiment testing the Treatment Network Team (TNT) program, based on that approach, is described and results are reported. Although TNT and control patients exhibited minimal differences in symptomatology and psychopathology, those in the experimental group showed substantive improvement in psychosocial functioning. The authors conclude that flexible service systems that deemphasize locus of care and offer a range of treatment modalities have the potential for enriching the social lives of chronic mental patients.
D001130:Arizona; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000639:trends*; D003688:Deinstitutionalization / Q000639:trends; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000639:trends*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy