Needs-based planning for persons with serious mental illness residing in intermediate care facilities

This study examined the association of clinical status to mental health ser vice use among persons with mental illness living in residential care. Two hundred residents with a chart diagnosis of schizophrenia were randomly sel ected from four intermediate care facilities. The severity of psychiatric i llness-community mental health (SPI-CMH) scale was used to assess clinical status and symptom severity according to three dimensions: symptoms and fun ctioning, risk behaviors, and complication to illness. Lower levels of seve rity of psychiatric illness were associated with participation in workshops ,family contact. and admitting to mental health problems. Results suggest t hat residents of the intermediate care facilities have clinical needs consi stent with habilitation and rehabilitation services. While residents infreq uently engage in high-risk behavior such as suicide and violence, they have considerable living skills and vocational needs. Future research should co nsider the relationship over time of mental health service utilization, sev erity of psychiatric illness, and psychosocial factors.