title: A retrospective quasi-experimental study of a transitional housing program for patients with severe and persistent mental illness.
abstract: Transitional housing programs aim to improve living skills and housing stability for tenuously housed patients with mental illness. 113 consecutive Transitional Housing Team (THT) patients were matched to 139 controls on diagnosis, time of presentation, gender and prior psychiatric hospitalisation and compared using a difference-in-difference analysis for illness acuity and service use outcomes measured 1 year before and after THT entry/exit. There was a statistically significant difference-in-difference favouring THT participants for bed days (mean difference in difference -20.76 days, SE 9.59, p = 0.031) and living conditions (HoNOS Q11 mean difference in difference -0.93, SE 0.23, p < 0.001). THT cost less per participant (I$14,024) than the bed-days averted (I$17,348). The findings of reductions in bed days and improved living conditions suggest that transitional housing programs can have a significant positive impact for tenuously housed patients with high inpatient service usage, as well as saving costs for mental health services.
authors.affiliation: Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, School of Population Health, The University of Queensland, Level 3 Dawson House, The Park, Wacol, QLD, 4076, Australia, dan_siskind@qcmhr.uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siskind
authors.forename: Meredith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kisely
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Siskind
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brogan
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pirkis
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crompton
authors.forename: Harvey
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Whiteford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006208:Halfway Houses; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011638:Public Housing; D011793:Queensland; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index