Abstract
Cost studies in the long-term care field are reviewed, with emphasis on those relating to people with developmental disabilities. Studies frequently stressed the cost-effectiveness of community programs but often had significant methodological problems. Among the predominant findings in the literature were: 1) the generally lower average costs per client in community programs versus institutional programs; 2) unexplained wide costranges in similar community programs; and 3) significant cost shifts among federal, state, and local governments associated with deinstitutionalization initiatives. The implications of these findings for public officials and the advocacy community are discussed.
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Mitchell, D., Braddock, D. & Hemp, R. Synthesis of research on the costs of institutional and community-based care. The Journal of Mental Health Administration 17, 171–183 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02521146
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02521146