Partial hospitalization at night: the Brussels Nighthospital

This paper describes the Brussels Nighthospital, which has offered partial hospitalization to young chronic psychiatric patients since 1978. The hospital's rehabilitation program provides evening treatment and nighttime accommodations to approximately 44 individuals, who live in the facility for about a year. During the day patients are engaged in useful activities outside the facility. The night hospital has developed a network of such placements. Psychotherapy and family support groups are also offered. A follow-up study of 120 patients (mean time after discharge = 4.2 years) showed that most maintained their achieved level of adaptation and continued to live in the community engaged in useful activities.