Dg. Shea et al., Use of mental health services by persons with a mental illness in nursing facilities: Initial impacts of OBRA87, J AG HEALTH, 12(4), 2000, pp. 560-578
Objective: To identify mental health service use patterns in nursing facili
ties subsequent to nursing home reforms in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliatio
n Act of 1987. Methods: The study involves a retrospective analysis of Medi
care Part B claims for mental health care for persons in a nursing facility
in 1992 (N = 692) using the Medicate Current Beneficiary Survey. Mental he
alth service use was described and analyzed using logistic regression. Resu
lts: Only 26% of nursing facility residents and 36% of residents with a men
tal illness had a mental health visit in 1992. Logistic regression confirms
analyses prior to 1987 showing older residents and those in rural areas re
main less likely to receive mental health visits. Discussion: Claims data c
ollected after the passage of The Nursing Home Reform Act (NHRA) of 1987 in
dicate continued low levels of mental health treatment in nursing homes.