TRENDS IN SITING STRATEGIES

The ethics and efficacy of notifying neighbors in advance of the estab lishment of group housing for the chronically mentally ill has generat ed much controversy, and recent federal anti-discrimination legislatio n has supported its discontinuation. In this study, representatives fr om 72 Massachusetts mental health agencies were interviewed regarding the siting strategies used in their most recent group housing developm ent, and the community responses to that site. A majority of agencies were found to have used advance notification, and there was a signific ant association between notifying neighbors and community opposition. Agencies using advance notification were also significantly more likel y to initiate post-siting community outreach activities.