COMMUNITY LENGTH OF STAY AS A DETERMINANT OF CMHC PERFORMANCE

This paper identifies the key organizational and environmental charact eristics that affect the performance of community mental health center s (CMHCs). Performance is conceptualized on both effectiveness and eff iciency dimensions. Community length of stay of clients was used as an effectiveness measure, and utilization of mandated CMHC services as a n efficiency measure for the study of 40 community mental health care organizations. Results for community length of stay indicate that clie nt age, median income of the community, rural location, management typ e and board composition all affect both community length of stay and u tilization of day support services and residential services. Furthermo re, the relationship between utilization and community length of stay is identified.