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Community mental health program efficiency

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Abstract

Six urban community mental health centers participated in a capitated payment system designed for persons with severe mental illness who frequently used the state hospital. The centers and their funding agency agreed that a chief outcome measure would be the length of time clients were able to remain enrolled in the outpatient program. Clients of the six agencies were quite similar to one another. During the 18-month study length of enrollment in the outpatient program did not vary among the agencies whereas agency expenditures varied by more than three-fold. Although some of this expenditure variation was due to economies of scale at larger agencies, different practice styles also contributed to variable efficiency.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland

    Bentson H. McFarland M.D., Ph.D. (Associate Professor of Psychiatry)

  2. The Ministry of Health in Victoria, British Columbia, USA

    Douglas A. Bigelow Ph.D. (Director of Program Standards and Information Management)

  3. Public Knowledge, Inc., Portland

    Jay Smith C.M.C. (President)

  4. Health Economist at the State of Oregon Office of the Health Plan Administrator, Salem

    Ala Mofidi Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Bentson H. McFarland M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Douglas A. Bigelow Ph.D.
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  3. Jay Smith C.M.C.
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  4. Ala Mofidi Ph.D.
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Additional information

This study was partially supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, grant numbers P50 MH43458 and R01 MH45015.

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McFarland, B.H., Bigelow, D.A., Smith, J. et al. Community mental health program efficiency. Adm Policy Ment Health 24, 459–474 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02042825

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