Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 2 of 2
Client-level measures of services integration among chronically homeless adults
- Authors:
- MARES Alvin S., GREENBERG Greg A., ROSENHECK Robert A.
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 44(5), October 2008, pp.367-376.
- Publisher:
- Springer
This American study presents three client-level measures of services integration, two objective measures, representing the proportion of needed services received and the number of outpatient services received by each client, and one subjective measure, a five-item scale measuring perceived coordination of care among clients’ service providers. Data from the evaluation of the collaborative initiative to help end chronic homelessness (CICH) are used to examine bivariate and multivariate relationships of these three client-level measures to two system-level measures of services integration, one addressing interagency services coordination/planning and the other interagency trust/respect as well as to baseline client characteristics among 734 chronically homeless adults in 11 American cities. Client-level measures of service integration were not strongly associated to each other or to the system-level measures, except for weak associations between one objective client measure and the system-level measure of service coordination and planning, and another between client-level use of outpatient mental health services and system-level trust and respect. Multivariate analysis showed that clients who received a greater array of needed services received more service overall and were more likely to have a diagnosis of PTSD and more medical problems, but less serious alcohol problems. Clients who reported more outpatient mental health and substance abuse visits were significantly more likely to be married, to be veterans, to have more serious drug problems, and to be dually diagnosed. Clients with more serious drug problems reported poorer coordination among their service providers on the subjective measure of client-level service integration. Three client-level measures of services integration were, at best, weakly associated with measures of system-level integration. Positive associations between client-level measures of integration and health status, outpatient service use and negative relationships with indicators of substance abuse suggest they may usefully represent the experiences of chronically homeless clients, even though they are not strongly related to system-level measures.
Disability benefits and clinical outcomes among homeless veterans with psychiatric and substance abuse problems
- Authors:
- MARES Alvin S., ROSENHECK Robert A.
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 43(1), February 2007, pp.57-74.
- Publisher:
- Springer
This study examined the relationship between disability payment status and clinical outcomes among 305 homeless veterans in the United States entering Veterans Association treatment. Disability status and clinical outcomes were characterized using self-report data at program entry, and quarterly for 2 years thereafter. Seeking or already receiving disability benefits at program entry was not associated with any of the 8 clinical outcomes examined. Those seeking or receiving disability benefits during the 2 years that followed showed more serious mental health problems and lower levels of mental health functioning, but no greater risk of substance use or not being employed nor worse housing outcomes than those who remained uninterested in applying for disability benefits. This study does not, therefore, support the notion that disability orientation results in poorer clinical outcomes, at least not among homeless veterans.