[High service users in communal socio-psychiatric services]

Differences in the intensity of social psychiatric care for mentally ill people are examined in two communal socio-psychiatric services in Saxony. Service users are subdivided into three groups according to intensity of service use (low utilization, average utilization and high utilization).

The analyses are based on data from a standardized documentation system in a rural and urban catchment area.

Intensity of care varies with structural parameters (geographical distance between patient home and service, staff resources). A small group (about 20 % of all clients) with a high frequency of contacts with service staff (high users) receive more than 50 % of all care contacts.

Standardized documentation is a good basis for the description of different patterns of service utilization, but more information is needed about service users, e.g. data on their health care needs.