Modular group therapy in a community mental health center

To use staff resources more efficiently, a community mental health center in South Carolina initiated an eight-session modular psychoeducational and group therapy program with a classroom format. Groups were composed of three to 12 patients with the same or similar diagnoses. Each session in the series constituted a complete module and included didactic presentations and group discussion about the material. At follow-up two years after the program started, the program was well accepted by staff and patients. The proportion of patient contacts for group therapy and revenue generated by group contacts had increased. Although an aim of the program was to reduce the frequency of contacts for individual therapy, these contacts did not decline over the follow-up period.