Coordination of care for homeless individuals with comorbid severe mental disorders and substance-related disorders

Authors

Laurence P. Karper MD, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow
Michael Kaufmann MD, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow
Gary Millspaugh
Evett Vega
Glen SternFollow
Gail Stern MSN, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow
D James Ezrow LCSW, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow
Shirley Giansante RN, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow
Mary Lynch RN, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow

Publication/Presentation Date

10-11-2008

Abstract

Psychiatric symptoms and alcohol and drug use disorders are often diagnosed in individuals who frequent shelters and programs for homelessness. Services are often provided in a fragmented, uncoordinated manner. This study evaluates a care coordination program in dual-diagnosis patients by comparing data on 50 patients treated with standard methods and 50 patients enrolled in the care coordination program. Clinical outcomes were measured with the Hamilton Depression Scale, Positive and Negative Syndrome scale, BASIS-32, service utilization, and alcohol use. We found that care coordination is a relatively low intensity but promising intervention that may improve clinical outcomes of homeless dual-diagnosis patients.

Volume

4

Issue

2

Published In/Presented At

Karper, L., Kaufmann, M., Millspaugh, G., Vega, E., Stern, Gl., Stern, Ga., Ezrow, D.J., Giansante, S., & Lynch. M. (2008). Coordination of care for homeless individuals with comorbid severe mental disorders and substance-related disorders. Journal of Dual Diagnosis, 4(2).https://doi.org/10.1080/15504260802066950

Disciplines

Psychiatry

Department(s)

Department of Psychiatry

Document Type

Article