MODIFIED THERAPEUTIC-COMMUNITY TREATMENT FOR HOMELESS DUALLY DIAGNOSED MEN - WHO COMPLETES TREATMENT

We studied a modified therapeutic community designed for the treatment of patients with combined substance abuse and psychiatric disorders. This model has been ap117117plied on a limited basis in clinical pract ice, and little is known about the characteristics of patients who are likely to complete the prescribed stay in such it program. In this re port, Me present characteristics of 189 homeless dually diagnosed men who entered a shelter-based modified therapeutic community with a pres cribed 6-month stay. Thirty-four percent of admissions completed the p i-escribed stay. These patients were more likely to have fewer inpatie nt psychiatric admissions and more job experience than those who did r iot complete their stay. Findings are discussed in terms of their simi larities and differences to findings from traditional therapeutic comm unities for the singly diagnosed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.