Characteristics and service use of participants in a large consumer-operated service agency.
OBJECTIVE
Administrative data were used to examine the demographic and service-use characteristics of participants in a large consumer-operated agency in New York City (NYC).


METHODS
Demographic characteristics for all consumer-operated agency participants in 2011 (N = 3,296) were compared with data from the 2011 Office of Mental Health Patient Characteristics Survey (N = 87,131).


RESULTS
Consumer-operated participants were more likely to be male and diagnosed with a mood disorder, and less likely to be Latino/a than public mental health recipients. "Advocacy" and "Self-Help Services" were used by 80% of service recipients, and lengths-of-stay averaged less than 6 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-help services were the most common consumer-operated service used in NYC. Given the demographic differences noted, consumer-operated service providers may need to take additional steps to engage women, Latinos, and persons diagnosed with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders to reach the full range of public mental health consumers.
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.
Ginny
G
Chan
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.
Beth
B
Vayshenker
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.
Lauren
L
Gonzales
Long Island University.
Abby L
AL
Mulay
Isaac
I
Brown
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.
Philip T
PT
Yanos
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003255:Consumer Organizations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult