The need for trauma assessment and related clinical services in a state-funded mental health system.
Previous data show that trauma is highly prevalent in public sector consumers and is associated with severe mental illness and high service use costs. Despite this, evidence suggests that trauma victims tend to go unrecognized and to receive inadequate mental health services. We surveyed all facilities (6 inpatient, 17 outpatient) within the South Carolina Department of Mental Health about their current services for trauma victims. Results indicate that most public mental health facilities do not routinely evaluate trauma history in an adequate manner or provide specialized trauma-related services. Implications and future directions are addressed, including the current trauma initiatives of many state-funded systems.
Frueh
B Christopher
BC
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA. fruehbc@musc.edu
Cousins
Victoria C
VC
Hiers
Thomas G
TG
Cavenaugh
S Diane
SD
Cusack
Karen J
KJ
Santos
Alberto B
AB
D003155:Community Mental Health Centers / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D005380:Financing, Government; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011635:Public Health Administration; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology