The state of residential care for people with mental illness; insights from an audit of the screening tool for entry to licensed residential facilities.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the medical and psychiatric profile of people assessed with the 'Screening Tool for Entry to Licensed Residential Centres' (Boarding House Screening Tool), examine the impact on their accommodation and the screening process.


METHODS
Copies of all of the Boarding House Screening Tools completed by the Camperdown Aged Care Assessment Team in 2003 and 2004 were examined. Accommodation status in 2006 was obtained from the Boarding House Team, GP or hospital database. A structured telephone survey of Aged Care Assessment Team staff was performed.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine Boarding House Screening Tools were reviewed. The mean age of the screened population was 43 yrs (range 22-76 yrs), most were men (36M: 3F). Eighty-two per cent had a listed psychiatric diagnosis, 23% a recent history of substance abuse, 10% a diagnosis of intellectual disability/cognitive impairment and 28% had more than two listed medical diagnoses. Seven people (18%), diagnosed with Schizophrenia, were not approved by the Boarding House Screening Tool because of high care needs and/or violent behaviour, however, only one remained in a high care facility in 2006. Forty-two per cent of people approved by the Boarding House Screening Tool were living in Licensed Boarding Houses in 2006.


CONCLUSIONS
People being assessed for entry to Licensed Boarding Houses are young with high levels of psychiatric illness, medical co-morbidity and drug and alcohol use. The Boarding House Screening Tool is effective in keeping people who are not approved out of Licensed Boarding Houses; however, even if approved this accommodation is short-term in the majority of cases.
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, New South Wales, Australia. laurenjanebailey@hotmail.com
Lauren J
LJ
Bailey
Rosemary J
RJ
Sheehy
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000592:standards*; D017149:Private Sector; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D017150:Public Sector; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012112:Residential Facilities; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D055815:Young Adult