Psychiatric rehabilitation and continuity of care

Abstract

Currently, psychiatric rehabilitation is viewed as an approach intended to promote the emancipation of people with severe mental illness. This chapter presents a theoretical framework in which main characteristics of current psychiatric rehabilitation are rooted: multidisciplinarity, continuity of care, person-centered care, and recovery-oriented practice. The development of psychiatric rehabilitation has been guided by scientific assessments of its effects. This applies to the evaluation of rehabilitation models as well as to particular interventions, which have been assessed using effectiveness studies of varying scientific rigor. The text also discusses the specific features of evaluation of psychosocial interventions which are due to the subjective nature of indicators. Longitudinal studies, too, played an important role in the development of psychiatric intervention. Their results cast doubt on the general therapeutic pessimism regarding schizophrenia: various studies had shown that even long-term hospitalized patients can, if they receive support, live in the community. To document the development of psychiatric intervention worldwide, we describe the development in a post-Communist country (Czech Republic).