A brief method of assessing adult inpatients' level of need for community support systems

The study examined the usefulness of the Level of Community Support Systems (LOCSS) scale in rating psychiatric inpatients' need for community supports after discharge. The scale was compared with two other instruments, the Community Placement Questionnaire (CPQ) and the Community Supports and Services Checklist (CSSC) in assessing 105 inpatients. LOCSS scale ratings were related to service utilization indicators, to items on the CPQ measuring community functioning ability, and to the CSSC score. The LOCSS scale correctly classified the level of difficulty of community placement for 69 percent of patients, indicating its usefulness as a screening tool in planning community-based psychosocial rehabilitation services.