Abstract
The long-term effect of outpatient commitment on service use was evaluated in 81 patients with serious and persistent mental illness. An increased number of outpatient visits and a decreased number of hospital admissions, total hospital days, and lengths of stay were observed during commitment periods of greater than 1 year relative to levels of use in the same patients over the 12-month period preceding commitment. This study provides support that outpatient commitment improves compliance with outpatient treatment and reduces hospital use in patients who are on outpatient commitment to a single treatment agency for periods up to 5 years.
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Rohland, B.M., Rohrer, J.E. & Richards, C.C. The Long-Term Effect of Outpatient Commitment on Service Use. Adm Policy Ment Health 27, 383–394 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021338208677
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021338208677