[Alternative emergency interventions in adult mental health care]

The objectives of this study were to review the literature on alternatives to traditional treatment of acute mental disorders and to describe the effects of these interventions. The main emphasis is on crisis resolution teams (CRT) because there are governmental plans to implement these in all Norwegian community mental health centres.

The reviewed literature is based on a search for randomized controlled studies that compare the effect of standard emergency treatment with alternative emergency services. Quasi-experimental studies of crisis resolution teams were also included.

The identified alternative interventions were: emergency residential/domestic care, emergency day centres, and crisis resolution teams (or assertive/out-reach/mobile crisis teams). Studies of acute day hospitals showed that this treatment is associated with reduced hospitalisation, faster recovery and reduced costs compared with treatment in traditional hospital acute wards. Because of insufficient research, it was not possible to draw conclusions on the effects of residential or domestic care. We identified six randomized controlled studies and four quasiexperimental studies of Crisis Resolution Teams. These studies indicate that Crisis Resolution Teams or other forms of assertive homebased mobile/outreach treatment, is an acceptable alternative to hospitalization for many patients. The clinical effect of such treatment seems to be comparable with traditional treatment, and are associated with reduced hospitalizations and rehospitalizations, and with reduced costs. None of the reviewed treatment can replace traditional acute hospital treatment. Although studies of alternatives to acute hospitalization have congruent results, there are few studies and methodological weaknesses make it difficult to draw firm scientific conclusions about the effect of such interventions.