Impact of mental health reform on service use

Abstract

This article will explore the impact of early implementation of mental health reform on community mental health service use by clients. The results from a review of agency charts for mental health clients are reported. Service use for all clients in the sample, for elderly clients, for ethnic minority clients, and for clients who are chronically mentally ill was compared for a 3-month period prior to implementation of the mental health reform and a 3-month period subsequent to reform. The following questions were addressed: (a) Did use of case management services increase in comparison to day treatment and individual therapy services? (b) Did use of medication management services increase? (c) Did use of vocational services increase? (d) Did use of crisis services increase? (e) Did use of substance abuse services increase? (f) Following implementation of the mental health reform, were clients more likely to receive a wider range of services than prior to reform?