A hospital-connected halfway house program for individuals with long-term neuropsychiatric disabilities

A three-month, hospital-connected halfway house program was established by two occupational therapists at the Sepulveda Veterans Administration Medical Center, Sepulveda, California. The program emphasized living skills and social skill training for chronic neuropsychiatric patients. The 19 graduates of the program were able to make the transition from the hospital to the community and to maintain themselves in the community for longer periods of time with shorter rehospitalizations. The 5-year follow-up also indicated that for the majority of the patients the quality of community living improved as measured by their satisfaction with their occupational choices (vocational, avocational) and their living arrangements.