title: Effectiveness of a Mobile Outreach and Crisis Services unit in reducing psychiatric symptoms in a population of homeless persons with severe mental illness.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to use a time-lag design to evaluate the effectiveness of a Mobile Outreach and Crisis Services unit in remitting psychiatric symptomatology, improving global functioning, and decreasing homelessness in a population of homeless, severely mentally ill residing in a mid-sized urban center. Using a time-lag study design, two groups of subjects--25 individuals before receiving services (control group) and 25 individuals after receiving services (experimental group)--were contrasted across outcome measures. The results indicate that a MOCS unit utilizing a Program for Assertive Community Treatment mode was effective in significantly decreasing psychiatric symptomatology, reducing homelessness, and increasing global functioning. If carefully implemented and interpreted, a time-lag design may be a means of providing valuable feedback and information in a timely manner.
authors.affiliation: University of Tulsa, USA.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Warnock
mesh_terms: D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008952:Mobile Health Units; D009825:Oklahoma; D016896:Treatment Outcome