An emergency housing program as an alternative to inpatient treatment for persons with severe mental illness

Objective: This study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of an eme rgency housing program as a step-down program after inpatient care, as a st ep-up program from community-based living, and as an alternative to inpatie nt care for individuals with serious mental illness who sought treatment at an urban medical center. Methods: One hundred sixty-one persons admitted c onsecutively to an emergency housing program were assessed retrospectively with the Severity of Psychiatric Illness scale and the Acuity of Psychiatri c Illness scale at admission and again at discharge. Analyses of covariance were used to evaluate the change in residents' clinical acuity and psychos ocial status between admission and discharge. Results: Residents who had be en admitted to the emergency housing program from inpatient psychiatric tre atment showed a significant decline in acuteness of psychiatric symptoms. P sychiatric symptoms also improved for residents who were admitted to the pr ogram from community-based sen ice programs and for residents admitted as a n alternative to inpatient treatment, although the differences for these tw o groups were less prominent. Conclusions: The findings suggest that an eme rgency housing program is a feasible mode of extended community-based care for many persons with serious and persistent mental illness.