Citation

Brown L, Cox GB, Jones WE, Semke J, Allen DG, Gilchrist LD, Sutphen-Mroz J. Eval. Program Plann. 1994; 17(1): 63-72.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0149-7189(94)90027-2

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article examines the impact of mental health services reform on aspects of service delivery within the State of Washington. Data from the state Mental Health Division's information systems were used to examine client characteristics, continuity of care, and community tenure across a 2-year period spanning the early implementation of services reform. Findings were that (a) caseloads increased, (b) client characteristics (gender, age, ethnicity, client priority status) did not change much, (c) continuity of services between state hospitals and community services improved a great deal, and (d) hospital admissions and readmissions changed only slightly, but discharges increased considerably. It was not clear whether there were changes in time in the community between admissions. These results suggest that there are no indications of deterioration in services, as might be expected to occur during major system changes, and that in some respects service delivery has been improved.