Abstract
This experiment compared the effectiveness of an unlocked, mental health consumer-managed, crisis residential program (CRP) to a locked, inpatient psychiatric facility (LIPF) for adults civilly committed for severe psychiatric problems. Following screening and informed consent, participants (n = 393) were randomized to the CRP or the LIPF and interviewed at baseline and at 30-day, 6-month, and 1-year post admission. Outcomes were costs, level of functioning, psychiatric symptoms, self-esteem, enrichment, and service satisfaction. Treatment outcomes were compared using hierarchical linear models. Participants in the CRP experienced significantly greater improvement on interviewer-rated and self-reported psychopathology than did participants in the LIPF condition; service satisfaction was dramatically higher in the CRP condition. CRP-style facilities are a viable alternative to psychiatric hospitalization for many individuals facing civil commitment.
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Support in preparation of this article is gratefully acknowledged from the Center for Mental Health Services, SAMHSA (grant number R18 MH51339), the State of California and the County of Sacramento. Opinions are those of the authors and may not necessarily reflect those of the involved or sponsoring agencies.
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Greenfield, T.K., Stoneking, B.C., Humphreys, K. et al. A Randomized Trial of a Mental Health Consumer-Managed Alternative to Civil Commitment for Acute Psychiatric Crisis. Am J Community Psychol 42, 135–144 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-008-9180-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-008-9180-1