EFFECTIVENESS OF CASE-MANAGEMENT WITH SEVERELY AND PERSISTENTLY MENTALLY-ILL PEOPLE

This meta-analytic review. synthesizes the findings of 24 published st udies dealing with the effectiveness of case management with the sever ely and persistently mentally ill. Summative findings were: (1) Overal l, case management interventions are effective-75% of the clients who participate in them do better than the average client who does not; (2 ) The estimated preventive fraction (e.g., prevention of re-hospitaliz ation) among clients who experience relatively intense case management service (case loads of 15 or less, 89%) is nearly 30% greater than th at estimated among similar clients receiving less intensive service; a nd (3) Various case management practice models did not differ signific antly on estimated effectiveness. Important questions concerning the d ifferential effectiveness of case management by specific program, work er, client, and client-worker relationship characteristics remain to b e answered.