Partial care in mental health organizations: United States and each state, 1988

Partial care is a relatively new and rapidly-growing form of mental health care consisting of a planned program of mental health treatment services generally provided in visits of 3 or more hours to groups of patients/clients. In 1970, only one-fourth of U.S. mental health organizations provided partial care services, and patient additions to partial care programs were 56 per 100,000 civilian population. By 1988, close to half of all mental health organizations provided partial care services, and the rate of additions was more than 5 times as high. However, large increases in the number or organizations providing partial care between 1984 and 1988 are due in part to changes in definitions that are elaborated on later in the report. In 1988, multiservice mental health organizations were the most numerous providers of partial care with 1,230 of 1,310 (94 percent) providing this program. This was followed by general hospital mental health services with 332 of 1,489 (22 percent) providing partial care and private psychiatric hospitals with 236 of 447 (53 percent) providing this program. Mental health organizations providing partial care were most numerous in populous States, particularly in California (with 187 mental health organizations providing partial care), New York (174 organizations), and Pennsylvania (131 organizations). There were 212,196 patients on the rolls of partial care programs of mental health organizations in the United States (including Territories) at the beginning of 1988, and 286,715 patients were added to these programs during the year. Multiservice mental health organizations were responsible for a majority of both patients on the rolls and patient additions during the year.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)