Objective evaluation and prediction of client improvement in mental health aftercare

External funding sources and review boards appropriately are mandating more objective, clear-cut demonstrations of mental health program effectiveness. Mental health adult aftercare programs, traditionally characterized by globally-defined, imprecise goal and outcome measurement, can be objectively, empirically evaluated. The current paper illustrates how structured ratings and observations can be used feasibly to yield quantified "hard data" on client improvement and program effectiveness. The paper also presents the results of a program evaluation research study which indicate that while psychosocial history variables predict initial client appearance in aftercare, program participation-involvement behavior (and not psychosocial history) predict client improvement. Implications of these finds and the need for objective approaches to aftercare program evaluation are discussed.