ETHNIC-DIFFERENCES IN MENTAL-HEALTH-SERVICES USE AMONG THE SEVERELY MENTALLY-ILL

Ethnic differences were examined in patterns of service utilization am ong 4,000 of the most seriously impaired clients in two county mental health services systems having differing histories of specialized mino rity-oriented programming. Latino and Asian-American clients in one co unty and, to a lesser extent African-American clients, made more use t han Whites of outpatient and supportive/community services. All three minority groups made less use of inpatient care than Whites The patter n was reversed in a second county. Results point to the need for great er attention to how mental health service systems are organized to mee t special sociocultural needs of ethnic minority clients who have seve re mental illness. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.