Clinical Characteristics and Service Utilization Patterns of Clients with Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders in Public Residential Detoxification Settings

Abstract

Little is known about the treatment needs of clients found in residential detoxification programs who have comorbid schizophrenia-spectrum and substance use disorders. This study (N = 166) compares the service use patterns of comorbid detoxification clients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (CDT-S) to two other client groups: (1) comorbid detoxification clients with other mental health disorders (CDT-O), and (2) comorbid clients in residential mental health facilities with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (CMH-S). Results show that CDT-S clients were much less likely to receive subsequent mental health treatment than CMH-S clients. Findings indicate that detoxification programs may be important settings in which to identify clients with schizophrenia who have unmet mental health treatment needs.