Defining the severely mentally disabled.
A definition of the "known target population of severely mentally disabled" in community mental health centers is examined. Criteria include intensive treatment contact and persistent, severe disability, but not diagnosis. Feasible and reliable screening procedures are demonstrated. In the identified population, most subjects at some time had received a diagnosis of schizophrenia and had been on public assistance. These criteria apply to catchmented treatment systems and should be useful in services research.
D002140:California; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000145:classification*; D012494:Sampling Studies