Use of therapeutic milieu in a community setting

1. Many of the same components that contribute to the success of milieu therapy in inpatient facilities also promote treatment success for clients living in the community. 2. Treatment goals at the Rosati Center, a transitional residential program for chronically mentally ill homeless persons in St. Louis, generally include supporting residents as they secure their own permanent housing; helping residents apply for entitlements so that they can support themselves upon discharge; connecting residents with outpatient psychiatric treatment; and assisting residents to structure their time and activities as a means to improving coping skills. 3. Program evaluations of the transitional living program at the Rosati Center revealed that implementation of therapeutic milieu concepts (in combination with case management concepts) can be successful. The facility served 228 persons during a 5 1/2-year period. Nearly half of those persons were discharged having fully met the objectives of the transitional program.