Am J Psychiatry 1989; 146:1293-1298
Copyright © 1989 by American Psychiatric Association
Defining and measuring stabilization of patients during 4 years of intensive community support
RG Wright, JR Heiman, J Shupe and G Olvera
Harborview Community Mental Health Center, Seattle, WA.
The first 4 years of an intensive community support program were evaluated
in terms of key variables of patient stabilization. Patients (N = 196) had
previously demonstrated an inability to manage themselves without repeated
and/or lengthy hospitalizations. During program participation, there were
significant reductions in hospital days and events (80%), jail
incarcerations and charges, billings per patient, and stressful events.
Patients reported increased satisfaction both with their lives and the
program. The results support the value of continued multidimensional and
multimethod examinations of patient stabilization.
